Mars Missions
Every spacecraft humanity has sent to Mars — from Mariner 4 to Perseverance.
Active Missions
NASA · orbiter · 2001
Long-lived orbiter that discovered vast amounts of hydrogen indicating water ice just below the Martian surface. Still operational after more…
ESA · orbiter · 2003
Europe's first Mars mission. Its MARSIS radar detected evidence of liquid water beneath the south polar ice cap.
NASA · orbiter · 2005
Highest-resolution orbital camera ever sent to Mars. Has returned more data than all other Mars missions combined.
NASA · rover · 2011
Car-sized rover that confirmed Mars was once habitable, detected organic molecules, and measured radiation doses for future human missions. Still…
NASA · orbiter · 2013
Studies how Mars lost its thick atmosphere and liquid water over billions of years.
NASA · rover · 2020
Most sophisticated Mars rover ever built. Caching rock samples for Earth return, demonstrating oxygen production via MOXIE, and hosting the…
Complete Missions
NASA · orbiter · 1964
First spacecraft to provide close-up images of Mars. Returned 22 photographs revealing a cratered, Moon-like surface.
NASA · lander · 1975
First spacecraft to successfully operate on the surface of Mars. Conducted the first biology experiments searching for signs of life,…
NASA · orbiter · 1996
Highly successful orbiter that mapped the entire Martian surface and discovered evidence of recent water flows. Operated for nearly a…
NASA · rover · 1996
Landed using revolutionary airbag system. Deployed Sojourner, the first Mars rover, which operated for 83 days. The live feed drew…
NASA · rover · 2003
Twin rovers designed for 90-day missions; Opportunity operated for nearly 15 years and drove 45.16 km — a planetary surface…
NASA · lander · 2007
First mission to directly touch and analyze Martian water ice. Confirmed perchlorates in the soil.
ISRO · orbiter · 2013
India's first interplanetary mission, making ISRO the fourth space agency to reach Mars — and the first to succeed on…
NASA · lander · 2018
First mission dedicated to studying the deep interior of Mars. Detected over 1,300 marsquakes.
CNSA · rover · 2020
China's first independent Mars mission. Zhurong rover operated for over a year, making China the second country to successfully operate…