Produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, this partial government film provides a technical overview of the Mariner 4 mission. Conducted with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Mariner program oversaw a series of robotic interplanetary probes to Mars, Venus, and Mercury from 1962 to 1973. Mariner 4 was a flyby mission to Mars, launching from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on November 28, 1964. After a months-long journey, the spacecraft flew over Mars on July 14 and 15, 1965. This film was produced before Mariner 4 encountered Mars, sometime between March and July. It reviews the spacecraft’s launch, acquisition of solar power, and use of the Canopus star to direct its journey to Mars. The film also explains how technicians process the images that Mariner 4 sends.

Harris County Houston Clear Lake

1960s 1960’s Houston Harris County Clear Lake Houston Public Library Houston Metropolitan Research Center Texas Treasures government film industrial film

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration space outer space space travel spaceflight space flight flight test flight space program

space mission program mission astronaut aerospace science scientist engineer engineering technology

spacecraft craft vehicle Mariner Mariner 4 Mars Mariner program launch launch vehicle booster

rocket demonstration illustration engine solar panel sun acquisition Canopus star sensor orbit

antenna experiment Space Flight Operations Facility Jet Propulsion Laboratory