The Mariner 2 was the first spacecraft to encounter another planet

Credit:Coalition for Space Exploration

The Mariner 2 was the first human probe to Venus that was launched from Cape Canaveral on Aug. 27 in 1962.

Mariner 2 was the first spacecraft to encounter another planet and confirmed that Venus has cool clouds and an extremely hot surface.

Mariner 2 also set the stage for future extremely successful Mariner missions, including Mariner 4, the first spacecraft to get a close look at Mars, and Mariner 9, the first spacecraft to orbit another planet.

Story found at exploredeepspace.com.