Have we landed anything on Mars

[cybernut]

To say the least.  The point is this.  These were unmanned missions to Mars so there was nobody in the lander craft that got the Viking buggy's on the surface, so how were they controlled?  By someone on Earth?  It would have taken too long for the signals to get there, so impossible.  This leaves the only other option of them having been programmed before the mission itself, but then they would have had no autonomous control.  They didn't land anything on Mars in the 70s and 80s.

[ATH019]

I think it was part of the mission profile for the doors of the lander craft to open after touch-down and then for the Viking rover to exit onto the surface via a ramp, but I agree that lack of autonomous control is a big sticking point.

[cybernut]

I think it was part of the mission profile for the doors of the lander craft to open after touch-down and then for the Viking rover to exit onto the surface via a ramp, but I agree that lack of autonomous control is a big sticking point.

Thanks for saying it's a big sticking point.   Without autonomous control, how would it have avoided the next pothole or crevice or large rock?

[McGaskil]

I thought the co-ordinates and terrain data for the landing location were worked out prior to launch.

[cybernut]

Co-ordinates for the landing would only have been approximate at best and not sure that available terrain info would have been detailed enough in 1969.

[ATH019]

Co-ordinates for the landing would only have been approximate at best and not sure that available terrain info would have been detailed enough in 1969.

First Viking missions were in the mid-late 70's.  1969 was the manned Moon mission.



Global Moderator

[cybernut]

Yep, sorry - my mistake.

[blag-it Admin]

Yep, sorry - my mistake.

Easy mistake to make, no doubt you were referring to available martian terrain data in the 70's.  I think you have a good argument there.


Admin

[cybernut]

Thanks!  I know it was certainly a silly mistake to make.  Must be because both begin with an 'm' that made me think of moon not mars - and o.c the moon landing was in 1969 - and well that's my excuse... 

[McGaskil]

Thanks! I know it was certainly a silly mistake to make.  Must be because both begin with an 'm' that made me think of moon not mars - and o.c the moon landing was in 1969 - and well that's my excuse... 

Everyone's entitled to an excuse.  Anyway, so you still think it didn't happen?  How could they have fabricated something on that scale involving numerous US gvmnt departments, research bodies and so on?