50 years ago, Russia landed on Mars for 15 seconds — and taught America a lesson

1971 was a crummy year for the Soviet Mars program. Of the four robotic spacecraft the USSR sent toward the Red Planet that year, one never made it out of Earth orbit, two were stymied by Martian dust storms, and another crashed into Mars like a speeding bullet. But the Mars 3 lander had better luck. Somewhat.
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