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Early Spacecraft Exploration Viking

Early Spacecraft Exploration Viking.

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Early Spacecraft Exploration Viking

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  1. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking • “The scientific goal of the Viking missions is to ‘increase our knowledge of the planet Mars with an emphasis on the search for extra-terrestrial life.’ The scientific questions deal with the atmosphere, the surface, the planetary body, and the question of bio-organic evolution.” Viking Press Kit, July 1975

  2. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking Get down and get dirty.

  3. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking • The primary mission objectives were to: • Obtain high resolution images of the Martian surface • Characterize the structure and composition of the atmosphere and surface and • Search for evidence of life Twin orbiter/lander combo

  4. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking • Orbiter instruments • Visual Imaging Subsystem – two cameras (124 ft/px); could resolve objects the size of a football field • IR Thermal (temperature) Mapper • Mars Atmospheric Water Detector • “Again a question: Are we now seeing the last disappearing remnants of water that was once much more plentiful on the planet, or is Mars locked in an ice age that has frozen out most of its water in the polar caps or beneath a layer of surface dust?”

  5. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking • Lander instruments • Two panoramic cameras • Sampler arm • Meteorology boom w/ temperature, wind direction and velocity sensors • Seismometer • Biology experiment • Gas chromatograph mass spectrometer • X-ray fluorescence spectrometer • More info on each instrument can be found at: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19750018961_1975018961.pdf

  6. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking • V1 Launched August 20, 1975; arrived at Mars June 19, 1976 • Devoted first month to searching for landing sites for the lander; V1 lander touched down July 20, 1976 in ChrysePlanitia

  7. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking • V2 launched September 9, 1975, arrived at Mars on August 7, 1976 • First month devoted to searching for a landing site; V2 touched down September 3, 1976 in Utopia Planitia

  8. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking • Landing Site Locations

  9. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking • With landers on the ground, orbiters continued science mission above and acted as data relays for landers

  10. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking • DATA!!

  11. Early Spacecraft Exploration Viking • How would you rate the quality of these images? • What observations can you make? • How would you interpret these observations? • What can you say we know about Mars at this point? How certain are you? • What questions would you ask about Mars? • How would you attempt to answer these questions? • What are the limitations to this type of mission (spacecraft/instruments)?

  12. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking Sinuous canyon in NanediVallis

  13. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking Large outflow channel originating at chaotic terrain.

  14. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking Stream-lined Islands in Ares Vallis

  15. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking Dendritic Drainage Network

  16. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking Channel in Ares Vallis; 25km (~16 miles) wide, 1km (~0.6 miles) deep

  17. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking Ma'adimVallis (~300km; ~186 miles) runs north and terminates into Gusev Crater (right).

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  21. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking Viking 2 lander touched down with one pad on a boulder; tilted 8°.

  22. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking • Notable results from Viking orbiters: • Mapped 97% of the surface; 52,000 total images • Definitively determined the North residual polar cap is water-ice, not frozen carbon dioxide • Stirred up a little “controversy” with one particular image

  23. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking

  24. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking • Notable results from Viking landers: • Biology experiments provided no clear evidence for the presence of living organisms in soil near the landing sites • Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer found no evidence of organic material at either landing site • Winds blew more slowly than anticipated (200 MPH); highest recorded wind gust was 120 km/hr (74 mph) and average velocities were much lower • Weather in the Martian midsummer was repetitious but was variable and more interesting in other seasons

  25. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking • Notable results from Viking landers: • Atmospheric composition: • CO2: 95.32% • N: 2.7% • Ar: 1.6% • O: 0.13 • CO: 0.7% • H2O (vapor): 0.03%

  26. Early Spacecraft ExplorationViking • How did Viking advance scientific understanding of Mars? • Difficult for life to exist on the surface at present, but this does not rule out past life • More evidence for past habitability • Weather patterns • Though no current life, Mars is a dynamic planet • What technological advance(s) did Viking carry? • LANDER!! • Higher res. Cameras • Weather station • Biology experiments • Orbiters acted as communications relay, selective landing sites

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