PDS_VERSION_ID = PDS3 RECORD_TYPE = STREAM LABEL_REVISION_NOTE = "PPI" OBJECT = MISSION MISSION_NAME = "MARINER 10" OBJECT = MISSION_INFORMATION MISSION_START_DATE = 1973-11-03 MISSION_STOP_DATE = 1975-03-24 MISSION_ALIAS_NAME = "MARINER 10" MISSION_DESC = " Mission Overview ================ Mariner 10 was the seventh successful launch in the Mariner series and the first spacecraft to use the gravitational pull of one planet (Venus) to reach another (Mercury). The spacecraft flew by Mercury three times in a heliocentric orbit and returned images and data on the planet. Mariner 10 is the only spacecraft to have visited Mercury. Spacecraft and Subsystems The spacecraft structure was an eight-sided framework with eight electronics compartments. It measured 1.39 m diagonally and 0.457 m in depth. Two solar panels, each 2.7 m long and 0.97 m wide, were attached at the top, supporting 5.1 sq m of solar cell area. The rocket engine was liquid-fueled, with two sets of reaction jets used to stabilize the spacecraft on three axes. It carried a low-gain omnidirectional antenna, composed of a honeycomb-disk parabolic reflector, 1.37 m in diameter, with focal length 55 cm. Feeds enabled the spacecraft to transmit at S- and X-band frequencies. The spacecraft carried a Canopus star tracker, located on the upper ring structure of the octagonal satellite, and acquisition sun sensors on the tips of the solar panels. The interior of the spacecraft was insulated with multiplayer thermal blankets at top and bottom. A sunshade was deployed after launch to protect the spacecraft on the solar-oriented side. Instruments on-board the spacecraft measured the atmospheric, surface, and physical characteristics of Mercury and Venus. Experiments included television photography, magnetic field, plasma, infrared radiometry, ultraviolet spectroscopy, and radio science detectors. An experimental X-band, high-frequency transmitter was flown for the first time on this spacecraft. Mission Profile Mariner 10 was placed in a parking orbit after launch for approximately 25 minutes, then placed in orbit around the Sun en route to Venus. The orbit direction was opposite to the motion of the Earth around the Sun. Mid-course corrections were made. The spacecraft passed Venus on February 5, 1974, at a distance of 4200 km. It crossed the orbit of Mercury on March 29, 1974, at 2046 UT, at a distance of about 703 km from the surface. The TV and UV experiments were turned on the comet Kohoutek while the spacecraft was on the way to Venus. A second encounter with Mercury, when more photographs were taken, occurred on September 21, 1974, at an altitude of about 47,000 km. A third and last Mercury encounter at an altitude of 327 km, with additional photography of about 300 photographs and magnetic field measurements occurred on March 16, 1975. Engineering tests were continued until March 24, 1975, when the supply of attitude-control gas was depleted and the mission was terminated. Total research, deployment, launch, and support costs for the Mariner series of spacecraft (Mariners 1 through 10) was approximately $554 million. Mission Phases ============== EARTH VENUS CRUISE ------------------ The Earth-Venus cruise period is defined as spanning the time between launch and 3 days before Venus closest approach. Spacecraft Id : M10 Target Name : SOLAR WIND Mission Phase Start Time : 1973-11-03 Mission Phase Stop Time : 1974-02-01T23:59:59.999Z VENUS ENCOUNTER --------------- The Venus encounter period is defined as spanning 6 days about Venus closest approach. Closest approach to Venus occurred at 1974-02-05 17:01:50 UT. Spacecraft Id : M10 Target Name : VENUS Mission Phase Start Time : 1974-02-02T00:00:00.000Z Mission Phase Stop Time : 1974-02-08T23:59:59.999Z VENUS MERCURY CRUISE -------------------- The Venus-Mercury cruise period is defined as spanning the time between 3 days after Venus encouter and 3 days before Mercury closest approach. Spacecraft Id : M10 Target Name : SOLAR WIND Mission Phase Start Time : 1974-02-09T00:00:00.000Z Mission Phase Stop Time : 1974-03-26T23:59:59.999Z MERCURY ENCOUNTER I ------------------- The first Mercury encounter period is defined as spanning 6 days about Mercury closest approach. Closest approach to Mercury occurred 1974-03-29 20:46:38 UT at an altitude of 703 km. Spacecraft Id : M10 Target Name : MERCURY Mission Phase Start Time : 1974-03-27T00:00:00.000Z Mission Phase Stop Time : 1974-04-02T23:59:59.999Z MERCURY MERCURY CRUISE I ------------------------ The Mercury-Mercury cruise period is defined as spanning the time between 3 days before Mercury Encounter I and 3 days before Mercury Encounter II. Spacecraft Id : M10 Target Name : SOLAR WIND Mission Phase Start Time : 1974-04-03T00:00:00.000Z Mission Phase Stop Time : 1974-09-17T23:59:59.999Z MERCURY ENCOUNTER II -------------------- The second Mercury encounter period is defined as spanning 6 days about Mercury closest approach. Closest approach occurred 1974-09-21 21:59:00 at an altitude of 47,000 km. Spacecraft Id : M10 Target Name : MERCURY Mission Phase Start Time : 1974-09-18T00:00:00.000Z Mission Phase Stop Time : 1974-09-24T23:59:59.999Z MERCURY MERCURY CRUISE II ------------------------- The Mercury-Mercury cruise period is defined as spanning the time between 3 days before Mercury Encounter II and 3 days before Mercury Encounter III. Spacecraft Id : M10 Target Name : SOLAR WIND Mission Phase Start Time : 1974-09-25T00:00:00.000Z Mission Phase Stop Time : 1975-03-12T23:59:59.999Z MERCURY ENCOUNTER III --------------------- The third and last Mercury encounter period is defined as spanning 6 days about Mercury closest approcah. Closest approach occurred 1975-03-16 22:39:23 at an altitude of 327 km. Spacecraft Id : M10 Target Name : MERCURY Mission Phase Start Time : 1975-03-13T00:00:00.000Z Mission Phase Stop Time : 1975-03-19T23:59:59.999Z END OF MISSION CRUISE --------------------- The end of mission cruise period is defined as spanning the time between 3 days after Mercury Encounter III and when the mission was terminated. Spacecraft Id : M10 Target Name : SOLAR WIND Mission Phase Start Time : 1975-03-20T00:00:00.000Z Mission Phase Stop Time : 1975-03-24T23:59:59.999Z References ==========" MISSION_OBJECTIVES_SUMMARY = " Mission Objectives Overview =========================== References ==========" END_OBJECT = MISSION_INFORMATION OBJECT = MISSION_HOST INSTRUMENT_HOST_ID = "M10" OBJECT = MISSION_TARGET TARGET_NAME = "MERCURY" END_OBJECT = MISSION_TARGET OBJECT = MISSION_TARGET TARGET_NAME = "SOLAR WIND" END_OBJECT = MISSION_TARGET OBJECT = MISSION_TARGET TARGET_NAME = "VENUS" END_OBJECT = MISSION_TARGET END_OBJECT = MISSION_HOST OBJECT = MISSION_REFERENCE_INFORMATION REFERENCE_KEY_ID = "N/A" END_OBJECT = MISSION_REFERENCE_INFORMATION END_OBJECT = MISSION END