Vikings to Earth: "It's Cold Up Here!"
Abstract
Viking lander activities during the northern-hemisphere winter on Mars (April to October 1977) are discussed, noting that the lowest anticipated temperature at the Utopia site is colder than Lander 2 is designed to withstand. Measures taken to improve Lander 2's chances of survival through the winter are described along with recent soil-sampling maneuvers by the two landers, environment-induced instrument malfunctions, and still unsuccessful attempts to free the balking seismometer aboard Lander 1. Some preliminary information is provided concerning the composition of Martian rocks and soil, and the equivocal status of the biology-experiment results is noted. Recent maneuvers and observations by the Viking orbiters are briefly reviewed.
- Publication:
-
Sky and Telescope
- Pub Date:
- June 1977
- Bibcode:
- 1977S&T....53..417B
- Keywords:
-
- Mars Surface;
- Viking Lander 1;
- Viking Lander 2;
- Viking Mars Program;
- Winter;
- Albedo;
- Craters;
- Mars Surface Samples;
- Northern Hemisphere;
- Volcanology;
- Lunar and Planetary Exploration