Mars 5 Orbiter

Launch data:

Specifications:

Description:

• Mars spacecraft series built for 1973 missions. Due to unfavorable position of Mars during that campaign, separate versions built: two intended to orbit Mars and map the surface, and two to land capsules. The orbiters were equipped with instrumentation to study the composition, structure, and properties of the Martian atmosphere and surface, including an imaging device, a 256 channel gamma-ray spectrometer mounted on a boom and a Lyman-Alpha photometer. The landers would have separated from their uninstrumented bus, entered the atmosphere, where a parachute opened, slowing the descent. The lander equipment included a Lyman-Alpha photometer and a Bennett mass analyzer. Unfortunately, this entire series of spacecraft experienced failures on arrival at Mars due to pre-flight test of the electronics with helium, which resulted in degradation of the computer chips during the journey to Mars. Orbiters had a launch mass of 3444 kg, and landers 3260 kg.

Mission details:

• Mars probe intended to enter Martian orbit and comprehensively photograph Mars.
• Mars 5 reached Mars on 12 February 1974 and was inserted into a 1760 km x 32,586 km orbit. Due to computer chip failures the orbiter operated only a few days and returned atmospheric data and images of a small portion of the Martian southern hemisphere.