Editing Mars 6 (section)

== Spacecraft ==
The Mars 6 spacecraft carried an array of instruments to study Mars. The lander was equipped with a thermometer and barometer to determine the surface conditions, an accelerometer and radio altimeter for descent, and instruments to analyse the surface material including a [[mass spectrometer]].<ref name=DSC73/> The coast stage, or bus, carried a [[magnetometer]], plasma traps, cosmic ray and micrometeoroid detectors, and an instrument to study [[proton]] and [[electron]] [[flux]]es from the [[Sun]].<ref name=DSC73/>

Built by Lavochkin, Mars 6 was the first of two 3MP spacecraft launched to Mars in 1973 and was followed by [[Mars 7]]. Two orbiters, [[Mars 4]] and [[Mars 5]], were launched earlier in the 1973 Mars launch window and were expected to relay data for the two landers. However, Mars 4 failed to enter orbit, and Mars 5 failed after a few days in orbit.