Abstract

A television instrument was developed to observe the features of Mars at resolutions and accuracies greater than those obtainable from earth-based telescopes and from photographs obtained by Mariner IV. The television instruments developed for Mariners VI and VII are of a two-camera configuration, exposed alternately during the planetary encounter and providing both analog and digital data to two tape recorders on each spacecraft. Video data from the tape recorders are transmitted in digital form to earth-based tracking stations. This paper describes the functional aspects of the instrument performance and the details related to the optical design and performance. In addition, the objectives and constraints guiding and affecting the instrument development are described.

© 1970 Optical Society of America

Removal of Instrument Signature From Mariner 9 Television Images of Mars

William B. Green, Paul L. Jepsen, John E. Kreznar, Reuben M. Ruiz, Arnold A. Schwartz, and Joel B. Seidman
Appl. Opt. 14(1) 105-114 (1975)

The Mariner Spacecraft Star Sensors

W. C. Goss
Appl. Opt. 9(5) 1056-1067 (1970)

Optical Problems of Television Recording of the Moon and Planets from Approaching Spacecraft

E. P. Martz
Appl. Opt. 2(1) 41-50 (1963)

Space Photography and the Exploration of Mars

B. C. Murray and M. E. Davies
Appl. Opt. 9(6) 1270-1281 (1970)

Verification of Performance of the Mariner 9 Television Cameras

T. E. Thorpe
Appl. Opt. 12(8) 1775-1784 (1973)