Mars 1, also known as 1962 Beta Nu 1, Mars 2MV-4 and Sputnik 23, was an automatic interplanetary station launched in the direction of Mars on November 1, 1962, the first of the Soviet Mars probe program, with the intent of flying by the planet at a distance of about . It was designed to image the surface and send back data on cosmic radiation, micrometeoroid impacts and Mars's magnetic field, radiation environment, atmospheric structure, and possible organic compounds.
Mars 1 was equipped with three primary radio systems operating at wavelengths of 1.6 meters, 32 centimeters, and in the centimeter range (5 and 8 centimeters). The 32-centimeter wavelength transmitter, situated in the orbital module, utilized a high-gain antenna, primarily transmitting on 922.76 MHz. It was supplemented by the 1.6-meter wavelength transmitter, linked with omnidirectional antennae on the solar panels, which operated on 183.6 MHz for downlink and likely near 102 MHz for uplink, serving both for telemetry and as a backup communication system in case of orientation system failure. and their magnitude confirmed.