Sep 18 1976
From The Space Library
18-20 September: The Viking 2 lander signaled to mission scientists at JPL that its sample-collecting arm was working and had moved toward the x-ray instrument that would analyze the mineral content of the Mars soil. If the collector had delivered its sample and the analysis was proceeding, the signal expected on the next relay would confirm that the arm was available for further sampling. The mission scientists said they planned to instruct the arm to turn over a rock on the surface and take a sample from the underlying soil that had not been exposed to lethal ultraviolet rays. Geologists had characterized the appearance of nearby soil structure as resembling "caliche," a calcium carbonate crust formed on earth surfaces by evaporation of water that deposited mineral salts on the soil particles and cemented them together. The cementing action might increase the difficulty of dislodging a rock with the lander arm, but scientists noted the ease with which the arm had taken the first sample. As the content of that first Viking 2 sample so closely resembled that from the Viking 1, scientists wanted to try for a sample with different properties, especially some trace of carbon-based chemicals that would indicate life processes. The caliche sample would be taken 25 Sept. and the attempt to move a rock would be made 8 Oct., a 3-hr strategy meeting decided 20 Sept. Project Manager James S. Martin, Jr., said the x-ray. instrument had never received its sample for analysis, so a sample for it would be dug 3 Oct. An editorial in the New York Times asked whether, in the absence of carbon compounds, the mission scientists should consider the possibility of Martian life based on some chemical other than carbon. (Mission Status Bulletin 42; NYT, 19 Sept 76, 29; 20 Sept 76, 32; W Post, 19 Sept 76, A12; 20 Sept 76, A-5; W Star, 19 Sept 76, A-2)
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