Editing Mariner program (section)

==Mariners 6 and 7==
{{Main|Mariner 6 and 7}}
[[File:Mariner 6and7.gif|150px|thumb|Mariner 6/7]]

[[Mariner 6 and 7|Mariners 6 and 7]] were identical teammates in a two-spacecraft mission to Mars. Mariner 6 was launched on February 24, 1969, followed by Mariner 7 on March 21, 1969. They flew over the equator and southern hemisphere of the planet [[Mars]].<ref name="Pyle2012-M6&7">
{{cite book |last=Pyle|first=Rod |title=Destination Mars |date=2012 |publisher=Prometheus Books |isbn=978-1-61614-589-7 |pages=61–66 }}</ref> They analyzed  atmosphere and surface with remote sensors as well as recording and relaying hundreds of pictures.  By chance, both flew over cratered regions and missed both the giant northern volcanoes and the equatorial grand canyon discovered later. Their approach pictures did, however, show the dark features long seen from Earth, but no canals.
* Mission: [[Mars]] flybys
* Mass 413&nbsp;kg (908&nbsp;lb)
* Sensors: wide- and narrow-angle cameras with digital tape recorder, infrared spectrometer and radiometer, ultraviolet spectrometer, radio occultation and celestial mechanics.

Status: Both Mariner 6 and Mariner 7 are now defunct and are in a [[heliocentric orbit]].<ref name="Pyle2012-M6&7"/>