The Mariner 10 mission to Mercury

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The Mariner 10 mission to Mercury

• Presentation by Antonio Solazzi
• Images taken from wikipedia.com and nasa.gov
• Based on the book Exploring Mercury by Robert G.
  Strom and Ann L. Sprauge

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• Launched 11/3/73
• Arrived at Venus 2/5/74
• Arrived at Mercury 3/29/74
• 2nd pass by Mercury 9/21/74
• 3rd pass by Mercury ?
• Mission ended 3/24/75

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A historic mission

• The Mariner 10 mission contained many notable and
  historic firsts and lasts

• It was the first mission to use several
  navigation techniques such as the gravitation
  sling shot and Solar Sailing.
• It was the first the first mission to visit
  Mercury.
• The mission was also the last use of the Mariner
  design and, until recently, the only mission
  which had visited Mercury.

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The design and payload
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• The Mariner 10 probe was designed with seven
  missions/experiments in mind
• TV imaging
• Infrared radiometry
• Ultraviolet spectroscopy
• Magnetic field detection
• Plasma science
• Charged Particles
• Radio Science

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Timeline Launch

• The probe was launched on November 3rd 1973.
• Shortly after launch its systems were turned on
  for testing and calibration.
• During this testing the probe took the first
  picture of earth taken from beyond the orbit of
  the moon.

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Timeline Early problems

• Shortly after launching Mariner 10 began to
  experience the first of many problems that would
  plague the mission
• During the initial calibration test problems were
  encountered with the gyro system which suggested
  problems with the onboard power supply. The
  primary power supply would soon fail, leaving the
  probe to finish its mission using its backup
  system.
• A few weeks later, the high-gain transition
  antenna failed, possibly due to a crack which
  formed due to cold. Though this problem
  eventually fixed itself when the antenna warmed
  up, the problem would reoccur later in the
  mission.

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The Venus flyby

• On February 5th the probe made its closest
  approach to the planet Venus.
• The probe took over 4000 pictures of cloud
  patterns and atmospheric structures.

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Timeline Problems inroute

• Shortly after leaving Venus the probes star
  tracker lost its lock on Canopus. The probe
  automatically reacquired the star but in doing so
  used up a significant chunk of its maneuvering
  gas. This problem occurred more frequently as the
  probe approached the sun.
• In an effort to preserve the probes ability to
  maneuver, photons from the sun were deflected off
  the crafts solar panels. By changing the angle
  of the solar panels the probe could change its
  orientation, thus saving fuel.
• This technique became known as solar sailing

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The first encounter

• On March 29th the probe made its closest approach
  to Mercury

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Initial results

• Initial results from the images and data revealed
  a heavily cratered surface
• Surprisingly the probe also detected evidence of
  a magnetic field around the planet

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Timeline direction of the second pass

• Shortly after the first pass was made the probe
  again started to experience problems.
• The probe was running on its backup power system
  and was experience an unexpected power drain. It
  also was critically low the gas used for
  maneuvering the probe. The tape recorder used to
  store images for later transmission also failed,
  leaving the probe unable to store any data in the
  event of an antenna failure.
• With the possibility that only one more pass
  could be made, the science teams debated as to
  whether to dedicate the second pass of Mercury to
  further imaging or an investigation of the
  unexpected magnetic field. Since each experience
  required the probe to pass the planet at a
  different distance, only one could be
  realistically attempted.
• A final decision was eventually made to peruse
  imaging on the second pass.

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The Second encounter

• On September 21th the probe made its second
  flyby.
• Further imaging work was done expanding the
  available images to 75 of the lighted side of
  the planet.

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Timeline Yet more problems

• Shortly before the third encounter with mercury
  the probe again experience technical problems.
• The probes navigational lock on Canopus was lost
  again, causing the probe turn at such an angle
  that its main antenna could no longer communicate
  with earth. The probe has already lost its
  ability to record data so if contact was not
  regained the probe would be unable to transmit
  any data on its 3rd pass.
• Only the deep space tracking network had antennas
  strong enough to transmit an order for the probe
  to reacquire Canpous. Unfortunately, these
  antennas were already in use communicating with
  other probes.
• A spacecraft emergency was declared and the DSTN
  was used to order the probe to reacquire Canpous.
  The order was successful and the probe regained
  contact with earth in time to transmit data from
  the 3rd pass.

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The Third encounter

• The probe successfully made its 3rd pass shortly
  after regaining communication with earth.
• During this pass evidence was detected to
  indicate that Mercury did in fact possess a
  magnetic field generated by the planet.

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Timeline Communication is lost

• On March 24th 1975 the probe used up the last of
  its maneuvering gas and started to spin, ending
  contact with earth permanently.
• Beyond all expectation the probe has managed to
  make three passes with Mercury and made
  invaluable contributions to our understanding of
  the planet including detailed imagery,
  atmospheric information and the detection of a
  magnetic field.

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Conclusion

• Beyond all expectation the probe had managed to
  make three passes with Mercury and made
  invaluable contributions to our understanding of
  the planet including detailed imagery,
  atmospheric information and the detection of a
  magnetic field around the planet.