The preflight planning and real-time experience relating to the navigation of the first artificial satellite placed about a distant planet is presented. Results of determining the orbit of Mariner 9 are presented and contrasted against the preflight simulation test results. It is concluded that the position of Mariner 9 was located to 40 km before coefficients of the gravity field of Mars were estimated. The planet Mars has been found to be 3 to 4 times gravitationally rougher than expected, with the dominant features, the 2nd order tesserals C22 and S22, causing the orbital period of Mariner 9 to oscillate with an amplitude of 40 seconds and a wavelength of 19.5 days. The direction of the Mars spin axis has been relocated from the Camichel-Burton value by 1/2 degree.


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    Title :

    Preliminary results of the satellite orbit determination of Mariner Mars 1971.


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    The growth and maturity of navigation in space; National Space Meeting ; 1972 ; Orlando, FL


    Publication date :

    1972-01-01


    Type of media :

    Miscellaneous


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English


    Keywords :