Mariner 4 discovers Martian ruins

The race to space would intensify and the Soviet Union and USA would cooperate. If the ruins were found to be stripped, the exploration of space would continue to reach Saturn.

All this puts paid to any conspiracy theories about the face. Any conspiracy would be to fake ruins not suppress them and the race to Mars would have b een given priority.

Maybe the face was a failed attempt at getting funds
 
Alternative alien tech

I suppose one possible alternative to discovering an aline structure on the surface would be to get a visual on an ailen satelite in Mars orbit--since it would be closer to the probe, it wouldn't have to be as big. Satelites stay up a long time. Of course, it would take a remarkable coincidence for it to get a look, since it's aiing at the ground..the satelite would have to be in just the right place. Of course, odds are, they would get ONE brief look--so there would be skepticism...and a need for another probe right away, one that could search the sky.
 
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