The Difficult Road to Mars

Archival Summary & Scope

Uncover the fascinating, little-known history of Soviet robotic Mars exploration. From 1959 to 1996, the Soviet Union launched ambitious robotic missions to the Red Planet, facing immense technical hurdles and numerous failures. Yet, these persistent efforts yielded a wealth of scientific and technical knowledge. This book chronicles the dramatic stories behind key missions, including early attempts, the partial successes of Mars 2 and 3 orbiters, the autonomous data return from Mars 6, and the ill-fated Phobos probes and Mars 96. Discover the determination, the costly setbacks, and the invaluable insights gained in the quest to reach and understand Mars.

Translated by Dr. Katherine A. Nazarova for the East West Space Science Center of the University of Maryland. 86 pages. Dozens of photos, drawings, and illustrations. Also available as a Print Replica edition.