Mariner 3

Mariner 3 on AeroVia

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Astronauts: -
Destination: No Mars flyby achieved; payload shroud failure prevented solar-array deployment and left the spacecraft in heliocentric orbit at approximately 0.983 × 1.311 AU
End Date: 1964-11-05
Outcome: Mariner 3 did not reach its Mars-flyby objective. After launch, the payload shroud failed to separate, battery power fell to zero, and the solar panels apparently did not deploy. The extra shroud mass prevented a proper trans-Mars trajectory, leaving the spacecraft in an unintended heliocentric orbit; a later investigation identified separation of the shroud’s inner fiberglass layer from its outer skin as the cause.
Programs
Start Date: 1964-11-05
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