Ep. 92: Missions to Mars, Part 1

Model of the Viking Lander. Image credit: NASA/JPL credit:

With last month's safe arrival of the Phoenix Mars Lander, Mars enthusiasts breathed a collective sigh of relief… phew. Now it's time to search for evidence of organic molecules in the ice at Mars' north pole. But this is just the latest in a long series of missions sent to the Red Planet. Let's have a history lesson, and look back at the missions sent to Mars, successful and unsuccessful. Episode 92: Missions to Mars, Part 1

Show Notes

Episode 92: Missions to Mars, Part 1

Early Mission to Mars

• NASA/JPL Webpage Listing of Missions to Marss (US & USSR)
• The Planetary Society's Listing of Missions to Mars (US & USSR)
• Early NASA Mission to Mars

Viking Mission

1. Viking 1 & 2

2. Orbiter Images
3. Composite Image of Mars from Viking Orbiter (mentioned by Fraser)
4. "Face on Mars" image and information
5. Viking 1 Lander Images
6. Viking 2 Lander Images
7. Malin Space Science Systems webpage about Viking images, discusses "blue" sky

Later Missions

• Mariner 8 & 9

Mars Global Surveyor

• Mars Global Surveyor official website
• Science goals for MGS
• MGS Technology and Science Instruments 
• MGS Important Discoveries
• Report on Reason for Loss of Contact with MGS

Pathfinder Mission

• Official JPL/NASA Pathfinder website
• Information about Pathfinder airbags
• Catalog of Pathfinder Images and Science Results

Recent failed missions

• Mars Climate Orbiter
• Mars Polar Lander/Deep Space 2
• Nozomi/Planet B mission:  Official Japan Space Agency website

Additional Information:

• Recipe for Martian cookies (to give to the USSR engineers)
• Universe Today article about the difficulties of landing on Mars

1. John Says:
   June 12th, 2008 at 4:05 am

   Wow another great show I love these guys so much

   Is anyone knowing where i can see the new mars rover picture? I would be intrested to see it.

   Thanks

2. Marie Says:
   June 12th, 2008 at 2:46 pm

   Normally I don't comment much. I send my introductory astronomy students here all the time. It's a great place for them to start before they seek out other references. Your science is balanced and of high quality. I found this current episode very hard to listen to. Perhaps there just wasn't much science in it…

   The early space program contains a history of many unsuccessful attempts. Modern ones still do. I'd rather have heard more in this episode on how big science and the exploration of unknown worlds really work. It's truly awe inspiring when all the minute details are correct to the specifications they need to be (with the technology current at the time of the design) and we get the sought-after images and data from the surface of another planet or from probing the planet from orbit. Our success completely amazes me.

3. Mike Says:
   June 17th, 2008 at 10:06 pm

   I have to agree with Marie's comment above. This was a very difficult episode to listen to. It would have been a much better program had Frasier brought in an engineer with some background in the early space exploration programs. Despite all the mishaps and failures it was a very exciting time. But the impression given by Dr. Gay was of a bunch of hapless incompetents here and elsewhere. Given the tools and knowledge of the time, what they accomplished is all the more amazing to me. I think you really spoiled one of the great periods of American science and engineering.

4. slashnull Says:
   June 18th, 2008 at 5:18 pm

   I actually really enjoyed this show - I love getting the historical context for the various missions, and the image of the poor soviet scientists getting given cookies was priceless. I can see the point of the above commentators, but personally I thought this was a fun show,albeit less full of sciencey goodness than normal.

Leave a Reply