Exploration of Mars failed upon impact. Mars 4 flew by the planet at a range of 2200 km returning one swath of pictures and radio occultation data, which constituted the first detection of the nightside ionosphere on Mars. Mars 7 probe separated prematurely from the carrying vehicle due to a problem in the operation of one of the onboard systems (attitude control or retro-rockets) and missed the planet by . In 1964, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory made two attempts at reaching Mars. Mariner 3 and Mariner 4 were identical spacecraft designed to carry out the first flybys of Mars. Mariner 3 was launched
Revenge of the Mysterons from Mars survey the Mysterons' planet, Mars, with a space probe is threatened when a scientist attached to the project is killed and duplicated by the Mysterons ("Shadow of Fear"). After the Lunar Controller boldly declares the Moon's independence from Earth in its fight against the Mysterons, Captains Scarlet, Blue and Lieutenant Green are dispatched to the colony Lunarville 7 to investigate reports of an unidentified complex being built on the far side of the Moon ("Lunarville 7"). After reporting back to Cloudbase, Scarlet, Blue and Green return to the Moon to remove the power source from the Mysteron complex in Crater