Mars 71 spacecraft was built by Lavochkin for 1971. The spacecraft consists of a bus/orbiter module and an attached descent/lander module. The primary scientific objectives were to image the Martian surface and clouds, determine the temperature on Mars, study the topography, composition and physical properties of the surface, measure properties of the atmosphere, and monitor the solar wind and the interplanetary and martian magnetic fields.

4.5 hours before reaching Mars on 27 November 1971 mid-course corrections were made on 17 June and 20 November. Mars 2 released the descent module (1971-045D). The descent system malfunctioned and the lander crashed at 45 deg S, 302 deg W, delivering the Soviet Union coat of arms to the surface. Meanwhile, the orbiter engine performed a burn to put the spacecraft into a 1380 x 24,940 km, 18-hour orbit about Mars with an inclination of 48.9 degrees. Scientific instruments were generally turned on for about 30 minutes near periapsis. Data was sent back for many months. It was announced that Mars 2 had completed the mission by 22 August 1972.

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