Mars in fiction the past; Mars is a setting rather than a goal. Mariner 4 in July 1965 found that Mars—contrary to expectations—is heavily cratered, with a very thin atmosphere. No canals were found; while scientists did not believe that Mars was a moist planet, the lack of surface water surprised them. Science fiction had so influenced real explorations of the planet, however—Carl Sagan was among the many fans who became scientists—that after Mariner 9 in 1971-1972, craters were named after Wells, Burroughs, and other authors. The Mariner and Viking space probes confirmed that the Martian environment is extremely hostile to life. By
Robinson Crusoe on Mars Robinson Crusoe on Mars Robinson Crusoe on Mars is a 1964 independently made American science fiction film in Technicolor and Techniscope, produced by Aubrey Schenck, directed by Byron Haskin, that stars Paul Mantee, Victor Lundin, and Adam West. The film was distributed by Paramount Pictures. As the title indicates, it is a science fiction retelling of the classic novel "Robinson Crusoe" by Daniel Defoe. Commander Christopher "Kit" Draper, USN (Paul Mantee) and Colonel Dan McReady, USAF (Adam West) reach the Red Planet in their spaceship, Mars Gravity Probe 1. They are forced to use up their remaining fuel in order