Getting to the Lunar Libration Points
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Astronomical Gravity-Wave Interferometer: Testing ↗
Engineering topics
Farless, D.
Publications and source records attributed to Farless, D..
Viking first encounter of Phobos - Preliminary results
Viking Orbiter-1 (VO-1) made a series of close flybys of the Martian satellite Phobos in February and May 1977. A description is presented of the results obtained during the flybys in February. The flyby geometries for the encounter period in February are shown in a graph. The trajectory design gave flybys on the illuminated side of Phobos within 80 to 300 km during the entire encounter period. The primary encounter observations of Phobos included visual and infrared imaging as well as radio tracking of VO-1 while it was under the gravitational influence of Phobos. Visual imaging was obtained from two narrow-angle television cameras. Infrared observations were obtained from an infrared thermal mapper. Radio data included S- and X-band Doppler and ranging data to VO-1 with a 10-second Doppler count. Assuming for Phobos a volume of 500 + or - 900 cu km, a mean density of 1.9 + or - 0.6 g/cu cm is obtained for it on the basis of the processed data.
Tolson, R. H.↗
Viking Radio Occultation Measurements of the Martian Atmosphere and Topography: Primary Mission Coverage
Radio occultation measurements were made at approximately 50 locations on Mars with the Viking Orbiter 1 S (2.3 GHz) and X (8.4 GHz) band tracking links during October 1976. The measurements have been used to study the topography and atmosphere of Mars at latitudes ranging from about 75 deg S to 70 deg N. By using the ingress and egress times obtained from the observed limb diffraction effects together with the best ephemerides available for the orbiter and the planet we have determined the surface elevations at the occultation points relative to the reference areoid. The observations agree with Mariner 9 and radar data to within 2 km. The mean atmospheric pressure at the areoid level was found to be 5.9 mbar during the northern midsummer season, a value which agrees quite well with data obtained at the landing sites. By comparing the new electron density measurements with earlier Mariner data we have determined that the temperature and the plasma scale height of the upper atmosphere appear to be functions of solar activity.
Fjeldbo, G.↗