E-Paper
HT THIS DAY: Sept 5, 1976 — Viking-2 lands on Mars, sends photos
Over the next few days, Viking II will continue to take photographs of the area around the site and will not begin biological experiments in the search for life until a week’s time
Pasadena, California- The first two photographs of Mars sent back by Viking-II today show a desert terrain similar to the landing site of the earlier probe, Viking-1, Mission Control announced here.
A spokesman said all communications with both modules of Viking-II were restored, and the first two pictures showed a sandy surface strewn with boulders of various kinds, some sharp-edged and others round and sponge-like in appearance.
The fact that the pictures were transmitted successfully indicated that the main antenna on the orbiting section was again directed towards the earth and the communications problems were solved, he added.
The section was thrown out of position yesterday at the moment of separation of the two parts and the antenna was pointing to space, cutting off normal communication between earth and the landing module.
The first photographs were very clear, showing that the first camera on the module was working well. They consisted of a shot of the landing spot showing one of the module’s legs and a panoramic view.
Over the next few days, Viking II will continue to take photographs of the area around the site and will not begin biological experiments in the search for life until a week’s time.
Dr Carl Sagan, an astronomer on the Viking team, said that the rocks liberally strewn across the landscape appeared to come from a nearby crater.
He said that racks pitted with holes, around the foot pad of the Viking lander, appeared to be lava from a volcano
2nd success
Viking-II’s touchdown was the second major success for the US space programme within six weeks, following quickly on the heels of the almost-flawless mission by Viking-I now sitting 4,000 miles away near the Mars equator.
Viking II, which set down in a valley called “Utopia,” will be looking for confirmation of signals sent back by Viking-I that microscopic forms of life may exist in the sticky, red Mars soil.
Fog and lee are both present near the “UtopIa” region and scientists think it is much more probable that life will be found where there is water.
“We’re at the right place at the right time as far as water goes,” one Viking project scientist said shortly before touchdown.
Tension was high at the laboratory’s command post as radio contact was lost for 45 minutes shortly after the lander capsule shot away from the orbiter 11,000 miles above the planet’s surface.
Confirmation that Viking II had landed almost exactly at the planned time of 3-38 p.m. local (2238 GMT, 0408 IST) came when the feeble signal from the orbiter showed that the lander had switched to the higher radio frequency it was to use on the Martian surface.
