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- The Babylonians were of the first ancient civilizations to discover

Mars; referring to it as Nergal, the Star of Death.

- Eudoxus of Cnidus was arguably the most ingenious Ancient Greek

scientist of his time.

- Along with Eudoxus, Aristarchus of Samos revolutionized astronomical

concepts of  the ancient times.

- Claudius Ptolemy, a creative Egyptian scientist, made a major break-

though in astronomy with his theory of epicycle.

- Nicolaus Copernicus took the first major step in developing a simple

model of planetary motion with his heliocentric system.

- Tycho Brahe's numerous observations of the stars and planets were

highly influential in the steps to discovering the "correct"

sytem of planetary motion.

- Johannes Kepler was the one who was finally able to piece together

the "correct" heliocentric system.

- Christiaan Huygens is regarded as a pioneer of Mars observation.

- Giovanni Domenico Cassini's was another pioneer that was able to

describe patches on various planets with the improving technology of the time.

1960
    Marsnik 1 (Mars 1960A) - 10 Oct 1960 - Attempted Mars Flyby (Launch Failure)

    Marsnik 2 (Mars 1960B) - 14 Oct 1960 - Attempted Mars Flyby (Launch Failure)

1962
    Sputnik 29 - 24 Oct 1962 - Attempted Mars Flyby
    Mars 1 - 1 Nov 1962 - Mars Flyby (Contact Lost)
    Sputnik 31 - 4 Nov 1962 - Attempted Mars Flyby

1964
    Mariner 3 - 5 Nov 1964 - Attempted Mars Flyby
    Mariner 4 - 28 Nov 1964 - Mars Flyby
    Zond 2 - 30 Nov 1964 - Mars Flyby (Contact Lost)

1969
    Mariner 6 - 25 Feb 1969 - Mars Flyby
    Mariner 7 - 27 Mar 1969 - Mars Flyby
    Mars 1969A - 27 Mar 1969 - Attempted Mars Lander? (Launch Failure)
    Mars 1969B - 2 Apr 1969 - Attempted Mars Lander? (Launch Failure)

1971
    Mariner 8 - 8 May 1971 - Attempted Mars Flyby (Launch Failure)
    Cosmos 419 - 10 May 1971 - Attempted Mars Orbiter/Lander
    Mars 2 - 19 May 1971 - Mars Orbiter/ Attempted Lander
    Mars 3 - 28 May 1971 - Mars Orbiter/ Lander
    Mariner 9 - 30 May 1971 - Mars Orbiter

1973
    Mars 4 - 21 Jul 1973 - Mars Flyby (Attempted Mars Orbiter)
    Mars 5 - 25 Jul 1973 - Mars Orbiter
    Mars 6 - 5 Aug 1973 - Mars Lander (Contact Lost)
    Mars 7 - 9 Aug 1973 - Mars Flyby (Attempted Mars Lander)

1975
    Viking 1 - 20 Aug 1975 - Mars Orbiter and Lander
    Viking 2 - 9 Sep 1975 - Mars Orbiter and Lander

1988
    Phobos 1 - 7 Jul 1988 - Attempted Mars Orbiter/Phobos Landers
    Phobos 2 - 12 Jul 1988 - Mars Orbiter/Attempted Phobos Landers

1992
    Mars Observer - 25 Sep 1992 - Attempted Mars Orbiter (Contact Lost)

1996
    Mars Global Surveyor - 07 November 1996 - Mars Orbiter
    Mars 96 - 16 November 1996 - Attempted Mars Orbiter/Landers
    Mars Pathfinder - 04 Dec 1996 - Mars Lander and Rover

1998
    Nozomi (Planet-B) - 3 Jul 1998 - Mars Orbiter
    Mars Climate Orbiter - 10 Dec 1998 - Mars Orbiter

1999
    Mars Polar Lander - 3 Jan 1999 - Mars Lander
    Deep Space 2 (DS2) - 3 Jan 1999 - Mars Penetrator

2001
    Mars Surveyor 2001 Orbiter - 7 Mar 2001 - Mars Orbiter
    Mars Surveyor 2001 Lander - 5 Apr 2001 - Mars Lander/Rover

2003
    Mars Surveyor 2003 - May 2003 - Mars Orbiter and Lander

2005
    Mars Surveyor 2005 - July 2005 - Mars Orbiter and Lander