Mars 2 (nonfiction)

Mars 2.

The Mars 2 was an unmanned space probe mission to Mars launched by the Soviet Union May 19, 1971 using using Proton-K heavy launch rocket with a Blok D upper stage. The identical Mars 3 spacecraft was launched nine days later.

The Mars 2 and Mars 3 spacecraft used identical designs: a 4MV bus/orbiter based on the Venera 9 design, and a lander module.

The Mars 2 spacecraft reached Mars and achieved orbit.

However, the lander module's parachute failed to deploy, the module crashed on the surface of Mars, and all contact was lost. The descent system may have failed due to the descent angle being too steep.

Fiction cross-reference

• Crimes against astronomical constants
• Gnomon algorithm
• Gnomon Chronicles

Nonfiction cross-reference

• Mars (nonfiction)

External links:

• Mars 2 @ Wikipedia
• Mars 3 @ Wikipedia