Jul 9 1980
From The Space Library
- JPL reported that Viking orbiter 1, after more than four years of circling Mars, was reaching the end of its mission. JPL would command it off some time between July 23 and 30 after it had exhausted the attitude-control gas that kept its solar panels pointed at the Sun and its antenna toward Earth. A controlled burn during that time would change its orbit to fulfill planetary quarantine requirements, avoiding impact with-and contamination of-Mars before the year 2019. The orbiter would keep observing until commanded off, and thereafter circle Mars for decades in silence.
Viking 1 launched toward Mars in August 1975 arrived there June 19, 1976. Its lander reached Mar's surface July 20 with a planned 90-day lifetime but on July 20, 1980, would have observed the planet for more than two full Mars years (four Earth years) and would operate unattended on Mars into 1990, perhaps into 1994. The orbiter and lander of Viking 2 had been commanded off on July 24, 1978 and April 11, 1980, respectively. Fewer than 30 people at JPL remained in Viking operations and data processing. (JPL Release 940; NASA Release 80-108)
MSFC's Marshall Star reported the return of Shuttle main engines 2005 and 2007 from NSTL to KSC after modification and testing. The third engine (2006) of the cluster scheduled to power orbiter Columbia in its first flight was still at NSTL. NASA had called for retest after the engines were modified on the basis of flight readiness tests last year. (Marshall Star, July 9/80, 2)
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