Rank 71 documents Mariner 9 — the first spacecraft to orbit another planet and the mission that waited out a global Martian dust storm to reveal the solar system's largest volcano. Launched 30 May 1971, the 997.9 kg octagonal bus entered Mars orbit 14 November 1971 while Mars 2 and Mars 3 Soviet orbiters also arrived — but only Mariner 9 survived the planet-wide dust that blinded early imaging. For months controllers waited as storms cleared; when views opened, twin TV cameras and IR/UV instruments returned 7,329 images mapping 85% of the surface — including Olympus Mons and the canyon system later named Valles Marineris in the mission's honour. Orbit evolved from 1,650 × 16,860 km to 1,380 km circular. Operations continued until 27 October 1972. Wallimilist renders Mariner 9 above rust-orange Mars with Olympus Mons caldera, vertical MARINER 9 title, FIRST MARS ORBITER badge, and mission patch exactly as the master PNG dictates — mars palette, dust-storm patience, and curator copy on orbital first heritage.