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The photo above shows several of the instruments on the Mariner Mars 1971 spacecraft. From left to right on the bottom are the white cylinder of the infrared radiometer, the wide-angle TV camera, ultraviolet spectrometer, narrow angle TV camera and infrared interferometer spectrometer. The white cone of the medium-gain antenna is seen in front of the temperature control louvers, and the dish shaped high-gain antenna is at top right. The solar panels are extended at left, top and right.

Mariner Mars 1971, also called Mariner 9, was the first spacecraft to orbit another planet rather than flying by. It was launched in May 1971 and began orbiting Mars on November 13 of the same year. It provided scientists and Viking mission planners with images of 100% of the planet's surface.

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