Abstract
Nozomi with a prime mission to study the interaction between the solar wind and the Martian upper atmosphere was Japan's first attempt to send an orbiter around another planet. It was launched in July 1998 and the original Mars orbit insertion was scheduled for October 1999. It approached Mars to the distance of about 1000 km in December 2003, but failed to orbit Mars. This paper presents the overview of Nozomi project with a focus on the problems the spacecraft experienced and also the recovery trial which eventually has failed.
