Mars
* Orbiters:
* Active: Mars Odyssey (2001), Mars Express (2003), Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (2006), MAVEN (2014), ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (2016), Hope (2021)
* Inactive: Viking 1 & 2 (1975), Mars Global Surveyor (1996), Mars Climate Orbiter (1998), Mars Observer (1992), 2001 Mars Odyssey (2001), Mars Express (2003), Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (2006), MAVEN (2014), ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (2016), Hope (2021), Mangalyaan (2014)
* Landers/Rovers:
* Active: Perseverance (2021), Curiosity (2012), Zhurong (2021)
* Inactive: Viking 1 & 2 Landers (1976), Pathfinder (1997), Spirit & Opportunity (2004), Phoenix (2008), InSight (2018)
Mercury
* Orbiters:
* Active: MESSENGER (2011-2015)
* Inactive: BepiColombo (arrived 2021, still orbiting)
Venus
* Orbiters:
* Inactive: Mariner 2 (1962), Mariner 5 (1967), Venera 9 & 10 (1975), Pioneer Venus Orbiter (1978), Magellan (1990), Venus Express (2006), Akatsuki (2010)
* Landers:
* Inactive: Venera series (1961-1983), Vega series (1985)
Key Points:
* Mars: Mars has been the most explored planet, with a wide array of missions dedicated to studying its geology, climate, potential for past life, and even its suitability for future human exploration.
* Mercury: Studying Mercury is challenging due to its proximity to the Sun. MESSENGER was a groundbreaking mission, providing the first detailed global maps of the planet's surface. BepiColombo is currently in orbit and will continue to study this challenging world.
* Venus: Venus is known for its extremely hot and dense atmosphere. Missions have primarily focused on mapping its surface and studying its hostile environment.
Looking Ahead:
* More missions are planned to all three planets, aiming to further unravel their mysteries and answer questions about their formation, evolution, and potential for past or present life.
This information should give you a good overview of the space probes that have explored Mars, Mercury, and Venus!
