On this day in space! Nov. 1, 1962: The Soviet Union Launches Mars 1 spacecraft to Red Planet during the Space Race

On Nov. 1, 1962, the Soviet Union launched Mars 1, a spacecraft designed to fly by Mars during the Space Race. After separating from its launch rocket and deploying solar panels, Mars 1 encountered a critical problem. Mission controllers detected a leak in one of the gas valves that controlled the spacecraft's orientation system. Without working orientation capability, Mars 1 could not point its antennas correctly toward Earth. The spacecraft lost contact with mission control when it was approximately halfway to Mars.

Mars 1 was the Soviet Union's fourth attempt to send a probe to Mars, following three launch failures. Despite the loss of contact, the spacecraft did eventually fly by the Red Planet. Two years later, NASA's Mariner IV became the first spacecraft to successfully complete a Mars flyby.