JPL - Mars Polar Orbiter/Penetrator (1976)

[Graham1973]

The Mars Polar Orbiter/Penetrator 1981 mission, intended to investigate the manner in which Mars has evolved, and which surveys its geochemistry, performs climatological investigations, and attempts to determine the planet's gravitational field, was described. The spacecraft, modified from the Viking Orbiter design, carries a new remote-sensing payload and six penetrators. The penetrators are released from a 2.46-h, 1000-km sun synchronous circular orbit and interrogated daily throughout the 2-year orbital mission. X-band telemetry is used to increase data return.

Requirements and capabilities for planetary missions. Volume 2: Mars polar orbiter penetrator 1981

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19760014153.pdf


For details on the penetrators planned to be used see the thread "Hughes/Sandia - Pioneer Mars Orbiter (1974)"

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,13208.0.html

 

[Graham1973]

Just checked the link to the NASA report on this proposal and it appears to have escaped the censors...