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These two drawings reflect the amount of digging that has been done on Mars by the two Viking Landers - current andnear future. As it can be seen, VL-1 has not been idle - its landing site looks more like a mining claim than the virgin redsoil it found upon landing July 20. As a refresher, the Biology-1, XRFS-1 and GCMS-1 samples were all acquired onSOLS. Again at the drift sampling area, the Biology-2 sample was acquired on

SOL-36,

the physical properties trenchwas dug

SOL-41,

and the Biology-3 trench will be excavated on SOL-91 (Oct 21). At the rocky sampling area, theGCMS-3 sample was taken

SOL-31,

the XRFS-2 sample on SOL-34 and the XRFS-3 sample on SOL-40. The shroud wasjettisoned on SOL-1 (the day after landing). Purge sitesare spots where unwantedsample materials were dumped, such asthe large chunky material or stones retained in the sampler after a sample sieving operation over one of the sampledistributors.

SEPTEMBER 29.1976 MISSION STATUS BULLETIN NO. 44

"ip^p^'' Rock Push PlannedORBITERS AND LANDERS HEALTHY,CHALLENGING SAMPLEACQUISITION SUCCESSFUL

The four Viking spacecraft systems continue to operate more northerly to begin with and can therefore bewell, and there have been no additional instrumentation modified more advantageously toward a polar plane. Forproblems experiencedsince those reported in Bulletin 42. that reason, Viking 2 was launched with sufficiently moreThe surface sampler safing "No Go" (as described in Orbiter fuel in order to accomplish the orbital inclinationBulletin 43) has been successfully resolved, and subse- modification.quent sampler operations have been performed without A very brief engine burn has already been performed,difficulty -including a challenging and unique sample It had noreal function other than to test VO-2's engine toacquisition for the organic/molecular chemistry be absolutely certain of its operationalcapability beforeinstrument. tne ma j n burn was attempted. The test was made Tuesday

VO-1 has completed its orbital walk of approximately eveningand results were nominal,one and a half revolutions, and has been accurately The engine burn needed to modify VO-2's orbital planesynchronized man orbit that tracks over VL-2. Two trim wi|| be performed Thursday, September 30 at 2:30 pmmaneuvers were performed last week - the eighth and PDT. The engine burn will have a 5-minute duration pro-ninth conducted during VO-I's orbital mission. The first ducing a velocity change of 343 mps, and will change thewas performed September 20 as a fine adjustment to the orbital inclination from 55.3° to 75°. VO-2's first walkorbital statistics in preparation for the synchronization wi|| then begin, with observations concentrating on theburn which occurred September 24. Both were short north polar cap. The walk will be stepped off at 30° perduration engine burns, and both were performed with day. VO-2 will complete 16 revolutions around the planet,exceptional accuracy. stopping its walk October 18 back in sync with VL-2.

VL-1 will then go into a second walk during solar conjunc-VO-1 Ends Walk, tion to aid in the performance of radio science experi-VO-2 Ready to Start ments, and will then resync over VL-1 in mid-November.

The relay communication link to Earth from VL-2through VO-1 has been tested and found to be excellent Interesting Crust Feature Broken(a second daily relay link using VO-1 has transmitted to Acquire Subsurface Samplesome of the VL-2 data and pictures). The success of this The most interesting and challenging sampleinterchange means that

VO-2,

still in sync with VL-2, can acquisition yet was conducted with great success Satur-now be released for its own orbital walk. day, September 25. Two previously planned sample

Because the VO-2 orbital inclination (the angular acquisitions for the GCMS (organic/molecular chemistrydifference between the spacecraft's orbital plane and the instrument) were not concluded; the first was preventedplanet's equatorialplane) is more northerly, as preplanned by the surface sampler "No Go" that occurred followingin order to deliver its Lander to a preselected northern the acquisition of the first sample which was deposited inlanding site, it will -on September 30 - perform an the biology instrument (Bulletin 42), and the secondorbital plane change that will increase its inclination to (described briefly in Bulletin 43) was deleted when thefacilitate polar observations. Of all the maneuvers "go"signalneeded toinitiatethesequencebeforeitcould bedesigned for the Orbiters to perform while in Mars orbit, performed was not transmitted. The latter was the resultthe plane change is the most difficult. of a science team decision based on data from early

Because Viking 1 was pretargetted for an orbital biology analyses that suggested that material from theinclination close to the equator, the performance require- VL-2 sample site was much like material collected nearment needed to get VO-1 near a polar inclination would VL-1 which had produced no evidence of organics. Thebe extreme. Any change in orbital inclination requires a science team preferred instead to look for a new samplesubstantial engine burn and a large amount of

fuel,

and site of a unique nature where a more protected and stablethe propulsion requirement to modify VO-I's orbit that sample might be acquired, and which might also representmuch was unrealistic. VO-2's orbit was designed to be a somewhat different chemistry. r\

VIKING PROJECT OFFICELangley Research Center

VIKING MISSION OPERATIONSNASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryHampton, Virginia Pasadena, CaliforniaRecorded Mission Status (213) 354-7237 Status Bulletin Editor (213) 354-7873

VIKING FSSJECT ... »>fo,r'■\ mission to m&rs!

, y^jp^ Acquired by VL-2,

SCIENCE REVIEWSummarySeveral dramatic announcements have been made during the last half of September. A substantialamount of information has been gathered pertaining to the Martian atmosphere from orbital, descentand landed

instruments,

and it is this kind of information that is now being synthesized to answersome old questions and present some new ones. Important scientific breakthroughs have been revealedin the orbital thermal mapping data and in the atmospheric analysis data from the VL-2 GCMS — thesetopics will be presented in this review. Orbital water vapor mapping and surface meteorology alsofigure importantly in the synthesis of atmospheric science. Another breakthrough has beenaccomplished in a technical sense, through the development of a method to control image smear in theOrbiter cameras. This technique may allow much lower orbital passes during the extended mission,with resulting resolutions of the Martian surface far beyond anything seen from orbit to date.

Orbital SciencePhotography — Orbital photo coverage continues to provide clarity and resolution of remarkablequality. The total picture count for both Orbiters is nearing 6000, and the only problem beingencountered — in the face of this great success — is here on Earth where a substantial computer logjam is resulting. It is perhaps a frustrating problem, but certainly not a bleak one in that all of thepictures being taken are available and will ultimately be seen as computer loads ease. Pictures takenduring the

first

VO-1 walk are now becoming available, and those taken during the upcoming VO-2walk

may

start to make their way out of the computers near the end of the prime mission inNovember. The most dramatic news is of a technique devised wherein motion compensation isprovided by slewing the cameras to prevent smear. The Orbiter cameras have the same problem withbeing able to freeze motion as a hand held camera in a moving vehicle — the closer the subject is to thevehicle, the more it is likely to be smeared. However, if the camera is panned (held on the subject asthe vehicle passes), the act serves as compensation for the motion of the vehicle and allows the subjectto be smear-free. The problem is obviously much more complex with a spacecraft moving manythousands of miles per hour, and it imposes certain constraints on how close the Orbiters can get toMars or its moons before smear renders the pictures useless. The cameras can be slewed at two discreetslew rates, one of which corresponds to an altitude of approximately 300 kilometers (186 miles), ascompared to the current periapsis altitudes of 1514 and 1519 kilometers (940-943 miles). Withoutmotion compensation the Orbiter cameras would be approaching their limits at about 900kilometers — perhaps a little under 600 miles. The "gee whiz" picture of Phobos on this page is theproduct of the

first

application of this new technique. The picture caption includes information aboutresolution, both in the current picture and what might be possible during the extended mission. Thepossibilities are exciting.

Water Vapor Mapping — The atmospheric water vapor story gradually taking shape relates well withthe thermal mapping data. The team was somewhat surprised at the amount of vapor seen at thenorthern latitudes, with the highest numbers - up to about 100 microns - seen well above 65°N. Thislatitude corresponds with the region that surrounds the residual polar cap. At a latitude of

43°N,

alonga belt around the planet, water vapor has been detected in amounts well above 40 microns (VL-2landed a few degrees from this reference band at 48°N). The vapor amounts detected along the bandare variable in several ways. First, they vary according to the time of day — and not always by similartimes of day. In one area the peak may not be reached until late in the day, while at anothera morenormal cycle shows the peak around mid day with a fall off following. The lowest elevations, such asthe basins in Arcadia and Utopia (VL-2), show the highest amounts while high spots like Alba aremuch drier. A good average for the scale height of water vapor at the 45° latitude has been achieved,and it appears to be about three kilometers. This means that within 6 kilometers of the surface, only10% of surface value of water vapor remains. In comparison, atmospheric density depreciates to 10%of its surface value at about 20-25 kilometers. During the VO-2 north pole scan discussed in thethermal mapping statement, water vapor increased from 30-40 microns between

45°-60°N,

andreached amounts of more than 80 microns north of 70°N above the dark band around the polar cap.Because this region contains about 25% of all the vapor in the atmosphere, it suggests a net loss or gainin exchange with the surface or that equilibrium is maintained. The conclusions are that the residualcap appears to be very stable - to within a few millimeters (two months of observation) and that theice is not

very

thin. The theory that the far north or far south latitude summer water vapor wassignificantly involved in an annual migration is probably incorrect, and more likely representsmid-latitude, semi-annual permafrost exchange cycles between the hemispheres. The residual capsmost likely retain most of their water vapor and ice for much longer periods. On a global basis, usingscale heights now understood, the frost-point temperature appears to be about 200-220°K (-99 to-63°F). This behavior is representative of an ice ball covered predominantly by rock and othermaterials moved around by annual meteorological cycles primarily in equatorial regions. It might wellbe that Mars isencased in a shell of water ice, and that it is the effect of earlier water events eminatingfrom the ice that created many of the present features seen above the permafrost.

Landed ScienceOrganic/Molecular Chemistry - Because the first two soil analysis opportunities were not utilized, the Meteorology- Temperatures at the VL-2 site are quite similar to temperatures at the VL-1 site withGas Chromotograph Mass Spectrometer (GCMS) was available - via its MS stage - for an extensive, minimums near -1 10 to -1 15°F and maximums between ZO and -25°F The mean temperatures haveclean condition atmospheric analysis. This in turn was followed up by an enrichment sequence which been around -65 to -70UF, about the same but a bit warmer than at VL-1 due to the shorter niahtis used to amplify any evidence of rare atmospheric gases for detection. The MS is equipped with a time cold stretch. Winds have generally been quite light, with rare gusts to 30+ mph Most maximumfilter system to remove the primary atmospheric constituent on Mars, C02 , in order to be able to see velocities have not been much more than 10 mph. Winds are minimal near sunset' pick Xp towardvery low levels of nitrogen - which might otherwise be partially or completely masked out by C0 2 . midnight, slow down early in the morning and then increase again after sunrise. Their directionalflowHoweve ,on Mars it was found that nitrogen wasn't as rare as expected, and that the filter wasn't is generally clockwise, but an oscillation occurs from the W&NW around to the NE and back aqa^

SOL

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I si«- a secular decrease in atmospheric pressuen?h"" t' 't -thinst "me 3 f dV b6en US6d extenslve|V f or soil analyses - degrading some continues - pressure has decreased to slightly under 7.6 millibars and may be slowing Asrationedof its sensitivity w,h minute amounts of contamination. A 7-times enrichment sequence was run, and previously, this falling pressure is believed due to the condensation of CO, ontoThe southern wmterLter T«r nH h t

V T^°l * enrichment se^en« «« run polar region. As the prime constituent of the atmosphere freezes out the glofaal pressue falls Tnlater ,t was found that contaminant noise obscured the rare gases being sought. On VL-2's SOL-1 5, a would be expected to continue until the seasons begin to change and the southerni po afCcXbeains to15-times enrichment was run on an atmospheric sample that had correlated well with VL-1 sublime back into the atmosphere. There are actually two component 7th proc adu aatmospheric data, but ,n a clean MS which had not been exposed to the products of soil analyses. The daily fluctuation probably due to solar heating and deTendenfon large scale topog aphy The semresults included the very importantdetections of both krypton and xenon.As is true of the Earth's diurnal component is not sensitive to the same factors and cantt^toltl^^t^e^L^atmosphere, there ,s more krypton than xenon in the Martian atmosphere. This is the opposite of factors (heat) which effect the atmosphere to produce pressure osciMat'ons These tides oroducemeteorites which scientists think represent gases available for the formation of planetary atmospheres. significant wind velocities at higher altitudes which are important to the mixinc of' atmosoherirtis believed that xenon has been absorbed out of the Earth's atmosphere into sedimentary rock, and constituents. On Earth these atmospheric tidal wave are ra_ ively drivel^Se on Zs boththe same mechanism may be possible on Mars. Abundances have not been determined, but initial radiative and convection processes seem to occur (though theradiative process isdqnificant) I is thisevidence points to a phase somewhere between meteorites and Earth atmosphere. The history of the tidal activity in the atmosphere going all the

way

to the top.the keepsTwe m xed and whicho 7 n

hobTegasesaso mp.rtl toKCT *°"^°» trough the detection and measurement probably provides a considerable amount of the Inergy needed to gerTate thfmTs'slve global TtnoDie gases so importantto that history. storms seen on Mars during southern summer. These are the Martian atmospheric thrusts that replace. the traveling disturbances - like cyclones - on Earth, and they occur on a much larger scale than onAtmospheric History Surface Pressure Prediction History Earth. The brief summary of this is that seasonal meteorology on Mars can be characterized as"diurnally varying."1. Modest Outgassing has Occurred I. Pre-Viking: 6mbto 10 bars

" Argon Isotopes _ _ _. .2. From -">Ar ~100 mb (Earth Analog) Biology - Instrument operations are nominal and no equipment problems have been encountered2. Massive Solar Wind Sweeping Unlikely , , ,

" Argon/Krypton Ratio 3" From N/ N6O

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800 mb <Earth Analog) Phrolytic Release (PR) - The first active cycle has been completed. The first peak of7133 counts per._.__..". ..,. (depends on deposition of nitrate) minute (cpm) compared very well with the first peak seen in VL-1, but the second peak reached only. Ratei o!?CO, aTdTto "^ * A m °re P"m""e"°"' «*« «end to reduce X*"i?*"^ a9ai" a response of about 15 cpm, but is below1 Enhancement of i"n; ° N these numbers. the 9,6 .<*"} d^tefted ' n he Xrst VL

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N sample in the dark -the VL-1 analysis was with a dry sample under the light. A fresh sample will be4. Strict Earth-Analog Models may be Wrong used for ,ne second cycle Saturday (Oct 2), and it will be dampened and exposed to light.

" Abundances ofKrypton and Xenon

"

" Clue to historical concept. Gas Exchange (GEX) - The GEX sample has completed a week of incubation in the wet nutrientmode. There continue to be some slight decreases in oxygen and carbon dioxide evolutions Theoxygen decrease is probably due to ascorbate in the nutrient medium, and this decrease is similar toCCM's <;_r£>/v> Ri,l_-tCB¥ «.,-/",_.„ A* 1 ■ a i ■ sample activity at the VL-1 site. The C02 decrease

differs,

however, and is being examined forGCMS Surface Biology GEX Surface Atmospheric Analysis explanations. It is believed that chemistry reactions are now nearly exhausted, leaving a clear view ofAtmospheric | ■ , any other unexpected reactions should they occur as the sample continues to incubate.AtmosphericAnalysis, VL-l/VL-2

Synthesis Labeled Release (LR) - The LR sample has received its second nutrient injection and is incubating,and only slight increases in the cpm rate have been detected. These slight increases may be the start ofa trend upward, and these data are being watched verycarefully. The control will be differentfor thissample - instead of using 3 hours of 320°F to sterilize the sample, it will be heated only to 122°F. Itis hoped this will impair any microorganisms without destroying chemical compounds that mightproduce a response similar to that of biology. If the analysis afterward presents a response similar tothe current one, it would suggest that a chemical rather than biological response has been seen. If littleor no response is seen, the possibility of a chemical reaction serving as the cause of the positive datawould be reduced. The method of control at the VL-1 site will also be altered when the sample nowincubating there is terminated and ready for the control cycle.

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_ . . Inorganic Chemistry - The only attempt to analyze a sample was shortly after the sampler "No Go"Seismology -The seismometer is working well, but most events recorded can be attributed to Lander was resolved and the expected sampler-retained material from the SOL-8 biology sample sievingequipment operations. Some of the signals are thought to be associated with thermal variations, and operation was deposited in the XRFS. The analysis was negative - the sample was either inadequate orsome with wind gusts which correlate with meteorological data. there was none left in the samplermo

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*">_.'" PS J°c ' l"" ! his n"lu'r ldrRe buddies in the background must certainly be among under many lighting conditions. This recent set ofenhancements help to illustrate!*> *■" aJ&~' _Sl*W___t__,. «_"""■' PnotofirX'c(l r°cks 'm the solar system. At least. VL-1 seems to have Big Joe's interestingtexture. In color. Big Joe is a redhead!""^"B* ? '^Sj taken a liking to them -- having photographed the sand dune clan quite often

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|'""^J_,technique of motion compensation had not been employed. The camera was slewed to compensate for Phobos' rapidly It *^.X -^ X ~ 'Jh\.changing motion at this close range. The experimentwas an exciting success, as evidenced by the clarity of the picture. Many jm. X *--"->,

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craters and chains ofcraters can be seen - the largest being the "mouse head"at the top. The smallestfeature visible is about - *" *%. "X A

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V - ' '"""X - *,-* gfi§T^.*--130 feet across, and the moon itself is visible for 11 miles top to bottom and 5.6 miles left to right. The odd striations are a ■&" *' T.j.-'T, - 7 XJ:' _ ytX:-.-- -«3cJfe«%> V - ~_'*i?surprise. They may have resulted from ejecta from a larger unseen crater, from a space collision, orfrom an event that ilfaf.: W '**ak " * , *" '^ *CX-%_^\ -fc*. aj^tftj ''Xi-^mC "Xi -- -occurred when Phobos was part ofa larger body. Later extended-mission flybysofPhobos, Deimos and Mars at ranges of 185 _5 *"" ZJjtX^X$X. <C 'C X^X^r*- .& j\^X^X~'v- "^^^ X

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Thermal Mapping — One of the perplexing puzzles concerning Mars is its atmosphere, or rather — thelack of a supportive atmosphere. The planet's mean atmospheric pressure is less than 7 millibars (1000millibars on Earth). This is barely above the triple-pointof water (solid, liquid, vapor), and is certainlynot adequate to sustain a massive liquid volume of water. The topic has grown in importance with thedramatic pictorial evidence of massive fluvial epochs somewhere in Mars' history — a much moresubstantial atmosphere would have been necessary for the occurrence of such events. The debate hascentered around the content of the two Martian polar caps, with the contenders being frozen carbondioxide (C02 ) - dry ice, and water ice. With the current Martian atmosphere being about 95%

CO,,

there is little doubt that the vast winter polar hoods represent severe cold traps wherein C0 2 exists asice, frost and icy haze. Thermal mapping data from the south polar region, where it is now winter,bear this out with thekind of brutally cold temperatures possible only in a region covered with frozenC02 . But there has been debate over what can be seen during the summer months when the largestpart of the polar cap disappears (rapid sublimation of the C0 2 back into the atmosphere) leaving asmall, residual cap of consistent stability in spite of the influx of warmer temperatures and moreexposure to solar radiation. Are these small caps representative of C02 reservoirs frozen out of a oncedense Martian atmosphere at an earlier period of the planet's current ice age? ... or do they contain asignificant amount of frozen water, therefore weakening the C02 reservoir concept? It is extremelyimportant that such fundamental questions be answered if the history of the atmosphere is to beinterpreted to help unravel the red planet's evolution. In recent weeks the north pole's summerresidual cap has been scanned by the VO-2 thermal mapper. It was known that temperatures duringthe winter season would be 150° Kelvin (-190°F) or colder. On its 22ndrevolution, VO-2 got a goodlook at the northern residual summer cap, with excellent data resolution (see back page Bulletin 42).The dark regions around the cap produced surface temperatures of 235-240°K (-36 to -27°F) whilethe white regions were on the order of 205-210°K (-90 to -81°F). Very cold, to be sure, but notnearly cold enough to be representative of frozen C02 . Even at sites which were considered candidatesfor a buried C0 2 reservoir (Mariner 9), new temperature data offer no support for that concept. Inbrief, even these initial data from an oblique viewing angle are strong enough to report that theresidual polar cap is substantially, if not entirely, water ice. The prediction has already been made bythe thermal mapping team that the same will be true of the south pole's residual summer cap once itswinter C02 veneer has sublimed back into the atmosphere. New explanations for the missingatmosphere will have to be constructed and investigated, and the mechanism ofwater communicationtoward the equator will have to be determined. The conclusions now are that residual polar caps arewater ice and that they

may

contain between 1000 and perhaps 100,000 times as much water as iscurrently in the Martian atmosphere. Combined with the atmospheric water and the bound water inthe soil already detected, and the permafrost deposits most Mars scientists

agree

must exist to someform and degree under the surface, suggests that Mars can indeed be a

very

wet and hospitableenvironment if and when atmospheric conditions allow a full water cycling process to evolve. There isno C02 reservoir on Mars.

Entry Science - One of the most important keys to a favorable environment for life is nitrogen, andseveral species of nitrogen have been detected in the Martian atmosphere- including nitrogen 15.Heavy nitrogen - as it is called - happens also to be a key element in studying the historical evolutionof the atmosphere, and it is not a useable product on Earth. On Mars, nitrogen escapes from theatmosphere and leaves heavy nitrogen behind - neither is true on Earth. While C02 represents some95% of the lower atmosphere, scientists were surprised to note that C0 2 densities decrease at higheraltitudes, yielding to a 50% constituency of nitrogen above 100 kilometers. Argon, molecular oxygenand - most puzzling - nitric oxide (NO) were also discovered at those high altitudes. Mars, in fact,has more NO than does Earth at these high altitudes, and this requires a substantial atmosphericmixing ratio. NO at very high altitudes on Earth is a product of abiological processes, but lower - inthe stratosphere - it results from the decay of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and is an importantregulator of atmospheric ozone. The nitrous oxide is a biology product. In terms of structure anddensity, the Martian atmosphere contained a few more surprises. The difference in densities at givenaltitudes varied considerably between VL-1 and VL-2 descent data - something that wouldn't be seenon Earth. There was evidence of wavesflowing through the thermal structure which rise up to breakthrough the top of the atmosphere to dissipate their energy - mixing and cooling the atmosphere inthe process. An understanding of these tidal effects could provide valuable new knowledge inputs forthe understanding of our own atmosphere and the problems man has contributed to its quality.

On the back cover, the Viking "diggings" are all identified. Here are some recent picturesof VL-1 's drift trenches (top). Below is VL-1 's chunky rocky-ground trenches (left) andVL-2's first sample site (right).

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From the vantage point ofan orbitalwalk, VO-1looks down the bores of Mariner 9's south,middle and north spots (three of four featuresseen through the welcoming dust storm in 1971).South spot turned out to be Arsia Mons, middlespot was Pavonis Mons, and north spot wasAscraeus Mons - seen here left to right. All threevolcanoes stand some 80,000 feet above Mars'mean elevation at their calderas, and Arsia Mons'caldera is 75 miles across. Note the fan-liketexture of the multiple lavaflows on theirflanks.

* _ taken a liking to them -- having photographed the sand dune clan quite often

changing motion at this close range. The experimentwas an exciting success, as evidenced by the clarity of the picture. Manycraters and chains ofcraters can be seen - the largest being the "mouse head"at the top. The smallestfeature visible is about <% * . * gM130 feet across, and the moon itself is visible for 1 1 miles top to bottom and 5.6 miles left to right. The odd striations are a *"surprise. They may have resulted from ejecta from a larger unseen crater, from a space collision, orfrom an event that .S^ "*tf- "%. **** **: * -,Xoccurred when Phobos was part ofa larger body. Later extended-mission flybysofPhobos, Deimos and Mars at ranges of 185 GE *""miles will be possible with the technique, and resolution on the surface of Mars will be nearly Lander scale about 25-30 <C»»

VL 1 VL-2 VL2(SOL 63) (SOL 7) (SOL 8)

N 2 2.3% 2.3% 2.2%02 < 0.15% < 0.15% < 0.15%Ar/CO 1.5% 1.5% 1.6%C02 96.2% 96.2% 96.2%TOTAL

6.7 6.7 6.8PRESSURE (MB)

co2 95%N 2 2.7%Ar 1.6%o2 0.15%36Ar/40Ar 1:3100"Ar/38Ar 4-7