On this day in space! Sept. 4, 1962: NASA's Mariner 2 spacecrafts performs the 1st-ever maneuver in deep space to reach Venus
On September 4, 1962, NASA's Mariner 2 spacecraft performed the first-ever deep space rocket maneuver to correct its trajectory toward Venus. This mission marked a milestone in space exploration by successfully flying by another planet.
Why it matters
This historical event established the foundational techniques for deep-space navigation that remain essential for modern interplanetary missions.
Without the maneuver, NASA's Mariner 2 spacecraft would have missed its Venus flyby entirely.
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Click for next article Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter On Sept. 4, 1962, NASA's Mariner 2 spacecraft performed the first-ever rocket maneuver in deep space as it did a quick mid-course correction on its way to Venus. It had launched just eight days earlier and needed to burn its engines to ensure that its trajectory would take it to Venus .
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