The spacecraft was shipped to Cape Canaveral with their Atlas-Centaur boosters in December 1968 – January 1969 to begin pre-launch checkouts and testing. LAUNCH March 27, 1969 UTC.
Although Mariner 6 and its Centaur stage had been saved, the Atlas had sustained structural damage and could not be reused, so they were removed from the booster and placed atop Mariner 7's launch vehicle on the adjacent LC-36B, while a different Atlas was used for Mariner 7. Mariner 6 Launch: Feb. 24, 1969; Flyby: Jul. Mariner 7. Mars Rover Heads Uphill After Solving 'Doughnut' Riddle CLOSEST APPROACH August 5, 1969 UTC The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) tested out its high rate telemetry system which would take downlinks from 8.33 bits per second to 16,200 bits per second (when it reached Mars). During the test run, an electrical relay in the Atlas malfunctioned and opened two valves in the pneumatic system which allowed helium pressure gas to escape from the booster's balloon skin. On February 14, Mariner 6 was undergoing a simulated countdown on LC-36A, electrical power running, but no propellant loaded in the booster. The center regained the signal via the backup low-gain antenna and regained use of the high gain antenna again shortly after Mariner 6's close encounter. The spacecraft was shipped to Cape Canaveral with their Atlas-Centaur boosters in December 1968 – January 1969 to begin pre-launch checkouts and testing.
The boost phase for both spacecraft went according to plan and no serious anomalies occurred with either launch vehicle.
During the test run, an electrical relay in the Atlas malfunctioned and opened tw…
The Atlas began to crumple over, however two pad technicians quickly activated a manual override switch to close the valves and pump helium back in. LAUNCH LOCATION Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Leaking gases from a battery (which later failed) were thought to have caused the anomaly.Closest approach for Mariner 6 occurred July 31, 1969, at 05:19:07 UTBy chance, both spacecrafts flew over cratered regions and missed both the The engineering model of Mariners 6 and 7 still exists, and is owned by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). It took 24 near-encounter photos showing a chaotic and heavily cratered surface as well as the dark features long seen from Earth. A minor The Centaur stage on both flights was set up to perform a retrorocket maneuver after capsule separation.
LAUNCH VEHICLE Atlas-Centaur.
NASA launched Mariner 6 and Mariner 7 to Mars. On February 14, Mariner 6 was undergoing a simulated countdown on LC-36A, electrical power running, but no propellant loaded in the booster. Mariner 6 & 7.
Three Mariner probes were constructed for the mission, with two intended to fly and one as a spare in the event of a mission failure. Mariner 6 Launch Date: February 25… The mission is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. This served two purposes, firstly to prevent venting propellant from the spent Centaur from contacting the probe, secondly to put the vehicle on a trajectory that would send it into solar orbit and not impact the Martian surface, potentially contaminating the planet with On July 29, 1969, less than a week before closest approach, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) lost contact with Mariner 7.
Researchers determine the Martian rock resembling a jelly doughnut is a piece of a larger rock broken and moved by the wheel of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. Along with its twin Mariner 7 spacecraft, Mariner 6 was designed to make a close flyby of Mars to study the surface for signs of life and develop technology for future missions. JPL's John Casani Honored by Air and Space Museum Mariner 6 lifted from LC-36B at Cape Canaveral on February 25, 1969, using Atlas-Centaur AC-20 and Mariner 7, from LC-36A on March 27, using AC-19. has been honored with the National Air and Space Museum's prestigious
John Casani of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.,
Duxbury Named Project Manager Of Stardust Mission 27, 1969; Flyby: Aug. 5, 1969 Mariner 6 and 7 were the second pair of Mars missions in NASA's Mariner series of solar system exploration in the 1960s and early 1970s. Site Editors: Tony Greicius, Randal Jackson, Naomi Hartono Communications were accomplished through the high- and low-gain antennas, via dual S-band
Mariner 6 and 7 infrared radiometer observations helped to trigger a scientific revolution in Mars knowledge.The Mariner 6 and 7 spacecraft were identical, consisting of an octagonal The spacecraft was attitude stabilized in three axes, referenced to the sun and the star Three telemetry channels were available for telecommunications. MISSION TYPE Flyby.