The first spacecraft to successfully fly by Mars, Mariner 4 captured the first close-up images of another planet from deep space. It revealed a cratered, seemingly dead world, much to the surprise of scientists who had expected to see canals and vegetation.

The Viking missions were the first to successfully land on Mars and perform experiments to search for life. Each mission consisted of an orbiter and a lander. While they found no clear evidence of life, they revolutionized our understanding of Martian geology and atmosphere.

Mars Pathfinder delivered the first rover, Sojourner, to the Martian surface. This microwave-sized robot pioneered new technologies and captured the public's imagination as it explored the area around the lander, analyzing rocks and soil.

The Mars Exploration Rovers far exceeded their planned 90-day missions. Spirit operated for 6 years, while Opportunity set a longevity record of 15 years. They found extensive evidence that water once flowed on Mars, dramatically changing our understanding of the planet's past.

The car-sized Curiosity rover landed using the innovative "Sky Crane" system and carries the most advanced scientific instruments ever sent to Mars. It has confirmed that Gale Crater once held a lake and contained the chemical building blocks needed for life.

NASA's most advanced rover is searching for signs of ancient microbial life in Jezero Crater, an ancient lakebed. It carried the Ingenuity helicopter, which became the first aircraft to make powered, controlled flight on another planet.