Download Free The Viking Mission To Mars Book in PDF and EPUB Free Download. You can read online The Viking Mission To Mars and write the review.

This monograph describes the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's program to explore the planet that most nearly resembles the earth and the search for life on the surface of Mars that the Vikings are scheduled to begin in 1976.
In 1877 the famed Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli used his brand-new 8.6 inch telescope to study the planets. To his great surprise he suspected that he saw symmetry on Mars. In the years that followed one astronomer after another looked at the red planet and gradually a mythology was formed -- a mythology of alien intellect. By the 1890's the martial influence had spilled over into all walks of life and sparked philosophical debates and wondrous fictions. Scientists, fantasists and people of all creeds looked up and wondered -- is there life out there? Now, more than a century later, nations around the world are bombarding Mars with an unprecedented fleet of exploratory vehicles. Their journey taking less time than it took Amundsen and Shackleton to reach the poles of Earth, these small but hardy robotic emissaries are thrusting their way through the depths of interplanetary space to take up residence in the barren Martian deserts. Their goal is to answer one of the oldest questions in mankind's history. Is there life out there? In this sequel to the best-selling first volume, the reader is brought up to date with the most recent results from our nearest neighbour. Filled with a wealth of facts about the latest fleet of Martian explorers as well as a look at what may be coming next in mankind's most ambitious quest for knowledge. Includes DVD-V / DVD-ROM featuring: Exclusive interviews with Mars Rover Mission Scientist Steve Squyres, Senior Flight Engineer Rob Manning, Mission Manager Jim Eriksen, the complete Cornell animation of the Rovers created by Maas Digital, a NASA animation of a proposed Manned Mars mission, the exciting mission control broadcast of the landing of Opportunity in Meridiani Planum and as an added extra special bonus, extremely rare video of Dr Wernher von Braun filmed in 1976 at the occasion of his last public speech about Mars exploration.
Twenty years after the Viking missions of the ’70s, we are finally going back to Mars. No fewer than ten missions are planned for the period between 1996 and 2003, and it is likely that human explorers will follow soon after--perhaps by the middle of the twenty-first century. When they do, they will owe much to the Mars of romance, to the early pioneers whose discoveries and disappointments are brought to life in The Planet Mars: A History of Observation and Discovery. In this timely and vividly written account, William Sheehan traces human fascination with Mars back to the naked-eye observers of the planet. He recalls the early telescopic observers who first made out enigmatic markings and polar caps on its surface. Through lively historical anecdotes, he describes in detail the debate over the so-called canals of Mars, which encouraged speculation that the planet might be inhabited. Finally, Sheehan describes more recent theories about the planet, leading up to the present, when unmanned spacecraft have enabled us to make giant strides in exploration. Well documented and sparked with human interest, this book will be a useful companion and guide in interpreting the barrage of headlines about Mars that is sure to come over the next few years. Amateurs will appreciate the contributions that have been made to Martian studies by people like themselves, and professionals will find much original material that has never before been published. The American Mars Global Surveyor is scheduled for launch in November 1996, and soon after the American Mars Pathfinder will make its way toward the red planet. A Russian mission consisting of an orbiter and two landers will be launched in October 1997. These space travelers will write a whole new chapter in the dramatic story of Mars, a planet whose exploration has only just begun. Astronomy Book Club main selection and selections of Book-of-the-Month Club and Quality Paperback Book Club.
Introductory essays by Viking Project scientist Gerald A. Soffen and Viking Orbiter scientist Conway W. Snyder describe the project, the spacecraft, selection of the Martian landing sites, and the experiments undertaken. The rest of the papers are by scientists involved in the project and comprise a record of the data obtained, the experiments, and their evaluation.
The planet Mars has been a subject of wonder for millennia, as attested by its place in mythology, by later speculation about its canals, and by the scientific and public excitement over the Viking mission. Although the scientific literature about the planet is voluminous, no comprehensive treatment of the results of modern spacecraft exploration has yet been made available. This volume fills that gap by providing a summary of what is presently known about Mars and identifying many puzzles such as polar cap variance, occurrence of dust storms, and the possible location of water. The introductory chapter cites questions, controversies, and milestones in the study of Mars, and also includes an annotated book list, basic data about the planet, and a guide to Martian seasons. A chapter on telescopic observation credits the contributions made by many amateurs that have advanced our knowledge of variations observed on Mars. A chapter on spacecraft exploration, by an American and a Russian author who have participated in all Mars missions, includes a revelation of an additional Soviet attempt. Twenty-nine technical articles cover geophysics; bedrock geology; surface; atmosphere; exosphere and magnetic field; and climate history. Two chapters address the search for life on Mars; three concluding chapters consider the Martian satellites. An indispensable reference for scientists, Mars will also serve as a complete sourcebook for serious amateur astronomers.