Missions made by the U.S.S.R.

Name of Mission

Launch Date

Days to Mars

Comments and Discoveries

Mars 1960A

October 10, 1960

Failed
Failed to reach Earth orbit.

Mars 1960B

October 14, 1960

Failed
Failed to reach Earth orbit

Mars 1962A

October 24, 1962

Failed
Spacecraft failed to leave Earth orbit after the final rocket stage exploded.

Mars 1

November 1, 1962

Failed
Communications failed en route.

Mars 1962B

November 4, 1962

Failed
Failed to leave Earth orbit.

Zond 2

November 30, 1964

Failed
Contact was lost en route.

Kosmos 419

May 10, 1971

Failed
Failed to leave Earth orbit.

Mars 2

May 19, 1971

192
The Mars 2 lander crashed-landed because its breaking rockets failed - no data was returned and the first human artifact was created on Mars. The orbiter returned data until 1972.

Mars 3

May 28, 1971

188
Mars 3 lander was released and became the first successful landing on Mars. It failed after relaying 20 seconds of video data to the orbiter. The Mars 3 orbiter returned data until August, 1972. It made measurements of surface temperature and atmospheric composition.

Mars 4

July 21, 1973

204
Mars 4 failed to go into orbit due to a malfunction of its breaking engine. It flew past the planet within 2,200 kilometers of the surface. It returned some images and data.

Mars 5

July 25, 1973

202
Mars 5 acquired imaging data for the Mars 6 and 7 lander missions.

Mars 6

August 5, 1973

219
Mars 6 entered into orbit and launched its lander. The lander returned atmospheric descent data but failed on its way down.

Mars 7

August 9, 1973

209
Mars 7 failed to go into orbit about Mars, causing the lander to miss the planet. Carrier and lander are now in a solar orbit.

Phobos 1

July 7, 1988

Failed
Phobos 1 was sent to investigate the Martian moon, Phobos. It was lost en route to Mars through a command error on September 2, 1988.

Phobos 2

July 12, 1988

Failed
Failed to reach Earth orbit.

Mars 96

November 16, 1996

Failed
Mars '96 consisted of an orbiter, two landers, and two soil penetrators that were to reach the planet in September 1997. The rocket carrying Mars 96 lifted off successfully, but as it entered orbit the rocket's fourth stage ignited prematurely and sent the probe into a wild tumble. It crashed into the ocean somewhere between the Chilean coast and Easter Island. The spacecraft sank, carrying with it 270 grams of plutonium-238.

Name of Mission	Launch Date	Days to Mars	Comments and Discoveries
Mars 1960A	October 10, 1960	Failed	Failed to reach Earth orbit.
Mars 1960B	October 14, 1960	Failed	Failed to reach Earth orbit
Mars 1962A	October 24, 1962	Failed	Spacecraft failed to leave Earth orbit after the final rocket stage exploded.
Mars 1	November 1, 1962	Failed	Communications failed en route.
Mars 1962B	November 4, 1962	Failed	Failed to leave Earth orbit.
Zond 2	November 30, 1964	Failed	Contact was lost en route.
Kosmos 419	May 10, 1971	Failed	Failed to leave Earth orbit.
Mars 2	May 19, 1971	192	The Mars 2 lander crashed-landed because its breaking rockets failed - no data was returned and the first human artifact was created on Mars. The orbiter returned data until 1972.
Mars 3	May 28, 1971	188	Mars 3 lander was released and became the first successful landing on Mars. It failed after relaying 20 seconds of video data to the orbiter. The Mars 3 orbiter returned data until August, 1972. It made measurements of surface temperature and atmospheric composition.
Mars 4	July 21, 1973	204	Mars 4 failed to go into orbit due to a malfunction of its breaking engine. It flew past the planet within 2,200 kilometers of the surface. It returned some images and data.
Mars 5	July 25, 1973	202	Mars 5 acquired imaging data for the Mars 6 and 7 lander missions.
Mars 6	August 5, 1973	219	Mars 6 entered into orbit and launched its lander. The lander returned atmospheric descent data but failed on its way down.
Mars 7	August 9, 1973	209	Mars 7 failed to go into orbit about Mars, causing the lander to miss the planet. Carrier and lander are now in a solar orbit.
Phobos 1	July 7, 1988	Failed	Phobos 1 was sent to investigate the Martian moon, Phobos. It was lost en route to Mars through a command error on September 2, 1988.
Phobos 2	July 12, 1988	Failed	Failed to reach Earth orbit.
Mars 96	November 16, 1996	Failed	Mars '96 consisted of an orbiter, two landers, and two soil penetrators that were to reach the planet in September 1997. The rocket carrying Mars 96 lifted off successfully, but as it entered orbit the rocket's fourth stage ignited prematurely and sent the probe into a wild tumble. It crashed into the ocean somewhere between the Chilean coast and Easter Island. The spacecraft sank, carrying with it 270 grams of plutonium-238.