Timeline: 1971-1980 Date Event May, 1971 The USA launched Mariner 9 which orbited Mars for nearly a year and transmitted enough photographs to nearly create a map of the planet. Apr.19, 1971 The Soviet Salyut 1 space station was launched, weighing 18 600 kg. Three days later Soyuz 10, which contained a crew of three, docked with Salyut. For some reason yet undisclosed, the cosmonauts did not enter the space station but undocked and returned to Earth. In June another three man crew were sent to the station and set a space flight duration record of 24 days. Numerous experiments were conducted including biological ones. During re-entry however, these astronauts died of an air leak in a valve, setting back the Soviet space programme. In 1973 USSR failed to send up Salyut 2 when it went out of control in space and shed its parts, though Salyut 3 (1974), Salyut 5 (1976), Salyut 6 (1977) and Salyut 7 (1982) were successfully put into orbit and were visited by many international crews. Apr.16, 1972 The last Apollo moon mission that was undertaken, was designated the Apollo 17. The three astronauts; one of the crew members was a civilian geologist, were sent by the United States explored the Tarus-Littrow Valley region on a lunar rover. These astronauts spent around 22 hours on the moon and travelled 35 kilometres, a far cry from the first Apollo mission’s 2 hours. May, 1972 The USSR launched two probes to Mars called the Mars 2 and 3. Both probes crash landed on Mars but still transmitted some data. 1972 Venera 8 was sent by the USSR to Venus where it transmitted surface data including soil analysis. 1972- 1973 US Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft journeyed safely through the asteroid belt beyond the orbit of Mars and flew by Jupiter in the following year. Pioneer 10 continued out of the Solar System and into interstellar space, becoming the first probe to do so. It is expected to reach the nearest star in 80 000 years. Pioneer 11 passed by Saturn on its flight, preparing the way for Voyagers 1 and 2. May.25, 1973 The United States?space station; Skylab, was badly damaged during launch but the crew successfully repaired the station by fitting a heat shielding canopy over the spacecraft and freed a jammed panel. Skylab spent more than 740 hours observing the sun, returned 175 000 solar images, 64km of data tape and 46 000 photographs of the Earth’s surface. It plunged back to Earth in 1979 whilst in its 34 981st orbit. Aug. 1973 The USSR launched the Mars 4, 5, 6 and 7 probes to Mars but various technical malfunctions hindered these missions. Nov.3, 1973 The Americans sent Mariner 10 to Venus where it transmitted the first detailed photographs of the planet’s atmosphere. After flying past Venus it journeyed to Mercury where it gave the first glimpses of its cratered surface. It made a total of three passes of the planet. This probe was the first to use gravity to assist its journey, using Venus?gravity as a ‘slingshot?to propel it to Mercury. Aug, Sep, 1975 The USA sent Viking 1 and 2 space probes to mars. Each contained a lander with consisted of life detecting equipment, chemical laboratories, colour cameras, weather and seismographic instruments. These landers were controlled by mission controllers on Earth, functioning well for several years. Oct. 1975 Soviet Venera 9 and 10 dropped landing craft onto the Venusian surface, which survived for an hour and transmitted the first photographs of the surface of Venus. 1977 During this year, the immensely successful US Voyagers 1 and 2 probes were launched. The probes flew past Jupiter in 1979 and Saturn in 1980-81. Both probes took many measurements and photographs, sending them back to Earth. Voyager 2, however, also travelled to Uranus and Neptune, taking photographs of their surface. 1978 During this year the United States sent the Pioneer Venus 1 and 2 to Venus. These spacecraft consisted of five atmospheric probes and an orbiter. The orbiter mapped nearly the entire surface of Venus, using radar whilst the probes analysed the composition of the atmosphere and its reaction to external influences like solar wind.