Humans have been looking up for a long time, full of curiosity about outer space. We’ve sent spacecraft hurtling through space at tens of thousands of miles per hour to learn about the wonders of the universe. In our own solar system, NASA has successfully sent spacecraft to every planet. What was the first?
Fifty-four years ago this week, Mariner 2 became the first successful mission to another planet. On December 14, 1962, the Mariner 2 spacecraft flew by Venus.
Artist’s concept of Mariner 2.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL
From Mariner 2, we learned about the carbon dioxide atmosphere of Venus, its 900 degree Fahrenheit surface temperatures, and its high surface pressure. This neighboring planet is continuously covered with a dense layer of clouds from an altitude of 56 to 80 km. No magnetic field was detected when Mariner 2 flew by Venus at a range of 21,600 miles.
The mission also sent back data about interplanetary space and was the first to measure solar wind, the stream of charged particles that flows constantly outward from the Sun. It was the first to measure the density of the solar wind, its velocity, composition and variation over time. Mariner 2 found that the cosmic dust is less dense than it is near Earth. Additionally, the spacecraft sensed cosmic rays from outside of the solar system.
The series of Mariner missions were the first to successfully visit Venus, Mars and Mercury. They were designed and built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.
Curious where else we’ve gone in space? Check out NASA.gov to learn about missions to planets, asteroids, dwarf planets, comets and more!