On November 15th in Science History, one significant event occurred in 1971 when the first spacecraft to orbit another planet was launched. NASA's Mariner 9 mission took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a journey to explore Mars.

Mariner 9 was designed to map the Martian surface and study its atmosphere, providing scientists with unprecedented data about our neighboring planet. The spacecraft reached Mars on November 14, 1971, but had to wait for a global dust storm to subside before it could begin its primary mission.

Once the storm cleared, Mariner 9 began to reveal the true nature of Mars. It discovered massive volcanoes, including Olympus Mons, the largest known volcano in the solar system, standing at an impressive height of nearly 22 km (13.6 miles). The spacecraft also found evidence of ancient river beds and canyons, including the colossal Valles Marineris, a system of canyons that stretches over 4,000 km (2,500 miles) across the Martian surface.

These discoveries revolutionized our understanding of Mars, suggesting that the planet had a more complex and dynamic geological history than previously thought. The presence of ancient river beds and canyons hinted at the possibility that liquid water once flowed on the surface of Mars, raising questions about the planet's potential to support life in the past.

Mariner 9's mission paved the way for future Mars exploration, including the Viking missions and the more recent Mars rovers, such as Curiosity and Perseverance. The data gathered by Mariner 9 continues to be analyzed and studied by scientists today, as we strive to unravel the mysteries of the Red Planet and search for signs of past or present life beyond Earth.