Mariner 6-7

Mariner 6

Mariner 7

Mariner                                                                                                    6 and 7 were the second pair of Mars missions in NASA's Mariner series of solar system exploration in the 1960s and early 1970s. As with the other Mariners, each launched on an Atlas rocket with either an Agena or Centaur upper-stage booster, and weighed less than half a ton (without onboard rocket propellant).

Mariner                           

In 1969, Mariner 6 and Mariner 7 completed the first dual mission to Mars, flying by over the equator and south polar regions and analyzing the Martian atmosphere and surface with remote sensors, as well as recording and relaying hundreds of pictures.

 By chance, both flew over cratered regions and missed both

the giant northern volcanoes and the equatorial grand canyon that was discovered later. Their approach pictures did, however, show that the dark features on the surface long seen from Earth were not canals,as once decades before.                                                                                                   

Mariners                                                                                                 

6 and 7 were designed to fly over the equator and southern hemisphere of Mars. Mariner 6 encountered Mars on July 31,1969 and was quickly followied by Mariner 7 on August 4, 1969. The two spacecraft returned a combined total of 143 approach pictures of the planet and 55 close-up pictures. These images, from the vehicles' television cameras, included pictures of the northern and southern polar caps as well as Phobos, one of Mars' two moons. The spacecraft also studied the Martian atmosphere and profiled its chemical composition. Closest approach to Mars for both spacecraft was approximately 3,550 kilometers. The cost of the two missions was $148 million.

Spacecraft  

The eight sided magnesium structure contained seven electronics compartments. One small hydrazine rocket engine used for trajectory corrections. Solar panels generated 830 W maximum (450 watts at Mars). AgZn batteries. Dual S-Band transmitters provided telemetry at 8.33 and 16200 bps. 3-axis stabilized to 0.05 deg using 12 cold gas jets. 157 Mbits data storage.                                                                  

Payload                                                                                                   
The planetary experiments (59 kg) included two television cameras, an infrared radiometer, an infrared spectrometer, and an ultraviolet spectrometer. These sensors took TV pictures of Mars and measured the ratio of refractivity and UV and IR emissions of the atmosphere.

Mariner Timeline

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