The inhospitable atmosphere and violent climate on Mars have not prevented numerous space probes and orbiters from visiting the planet over the last 50 years, their data-gathering abilities growing ever more sophisticated. From the successful Mariner and Viking programs of the 60s and 70s, to human missions in planning today, this book charts the history of Martian exploration and its prodigious challenges, listing key scientific discoveries alongside striking images of the Red Planet from space and the ground.