The rover would be launched to Mars on a separate launch vehicle ahead of the piloted flyby spacecraft.

The four-man piloted flyby spacecraft would leave Earth orbit on 23 January 1977.

In August 1967, Congress eliminated all funds for piloted flyby studies from the Fiscal Year 1968 NASA budget.

In August 1967, however, Congress eliminated all funds for piloted flyby studies and other advanced mission planning from the Fiscal Year 1968 NASA budget.

The piloted flyby spacecraft would zip past Venus for the first time on mission day 149 (21 June 1977), releasing 10 automated probes.