Improved coordinates of features in the vicinity of the Viking 1 lander site on Mars

Merton E. Davies, Stephen H. Dole

ResearchPublished 1980

Data from a strip of 117 frames (principally Viking Orbiter photographs) joining the areas around Airy-O and the Viking 1 lander site were used in the GIANT computer program to improve the areographic coordinates of Mars surface features in this region. Airy-O defines the prime meridian on Mars, and thus this photogrammetric path permitted an independent and improved determination of the longitude of the Viking 1 lander site. The longitude remains the same as in prior measurements but the error is reduced by half. The report discusses the computer program used to make the analytical triangulations, describes the photogrammetric computation of the longitude of the Viking 1 lander site, and gives improved coordinates of features near the lander site.

Document Details

  • Copyright: RAND Corporation
  • Availability: Web Only
  • Year: 1980
  • Pages: 25
  • Document Number: R-2600-NASA

Citation

Chicago Manual of Style

Davies, Merton E. and Stephen H. Dole, Improved coordinates of features in the vicinity of the Viking 1 lander site on Mars. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1980. https://www.rand.org/pubs/reports/R2600.html.
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