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On Mars: Exploration of the Red Planet. 1958-1978

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CONTENTS

 

Foreword.

 

Introduction.

• Chapter 1 : Why Mars?.
  • Attractive Target for Exploration.
  • Objectives in Space.
  
  
• Chapter 2 : The Cart Before the Horse: Mariner Spacecraft and Launch Vehicles.
  • Evolution of Unmanned Space Exploration to 1960.
  • Centaur: Troublesome Launch Vehicle.
  
  
• Chapter 3 : The Search for Martian Life Begins: 1959-1965.
  • The Rise of Exobiology as a Discipline.
  • The Results of Mariner 4.
  
  
• Chapter 4 : Voyager: Perils of Advanced Planning, 1960-1967.
  • Origins of Voyager.
  • Misfortunes of Voyager.
  
  
• Chapter 5 : Reorganization and the Creation of Viking.
  • Langley Enters the Mars Business.
  • Problems&emdash;Management Assignments and Budgets.
  • Support for Mars Exploration.
  • The Mission Mode Decision.
  
  
• Chapter 6 : Viking Orbiter and Its Mariner Inheritance.
  • Mariner Mars 69.
  • Mariner Mars 71.
  • First Phase of Viking Orbiter Planning.
  • Viking Mission Definition No. 2.
  • Mariner 69 Science Results.
  • Quarterly Review.
  • Money Problems at NASA.
  • Working toward July 1975.
  
  
• Chapter 7 : Viking Lander: Creating The Science Teams.
  • A Team of Scientists.
  • Selecting a Contractor.
  • Scientists, Instruments, and Subcontractors.
  
  
• Chapter 8 : Viking Lander: Building A Complex Spacecraft.
  • Lander Mission Profile.
  • Science Data Return.
  • Top Ten Problems.
  • Testing the Lander.
  • Reorganizations and Additional Cutbacks.
  • Preparing for Launch.
  
  
• Chapter 9 : Safe Havens: Selecting Landing Sites for Viking.
  • Financial Problems Threaten Orbital Imaging System.
  • Preparing for Site Selection.
  • Mariner 9's Mission.
  • Candidate Sites.
  
  
• Chapter 10 : Site Certification - and Landing.
  • Planning Site Certification.
  • The Significance of Radar.
  • Evolving a Certification Process.
  • Flight to Mars.
  • Viking 1 at Mars.
  • Second Site No Easier.
  • Lessons Learned.
  
  
• Chapter 11 : On Mars.
  • Images from Orbit.
  • Measuring the Atmosphere.
  • On the Surface.
  • Science on Mars.
  • Life or No Life?.
  • Other Results.

Epilogue

Appendices

Bibliographic Essay

Source Notes

Authors

 

Tables

 

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