| .....The
Mariner 2 spacecraft was the second of a
series of spacecraft used for planetary
exploration in the flyby, or nonlanding,
mode and the first spacecraft to
successfully encounter another planet.
Mariner 2 was a backup for the Mariner 1
mission which failed shortly after launch
to Venus. The objective of the Mariner 2
mission was to fly by Venus and return
data on the planet's atmosphere, magnetic
field, charged particle environment, and
mass. It also made measurements of the
interplanetary medium during its cruise
to Venus and after the flyby. .....Mariner 2
consisted of a hexagonal base, 1.04
meters across and 0.36 meters thick,
which contained six magnesium chassis
housing the electronics for the science
experiments, communications, data
encoding, computing, timing, and attitude
control, and the power control, battery,
and battery charger, as well as the
attitude control gas bottles and the
rocket engine.
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