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Posted by: jgoldader Jul 26 2008, 02:23 AM

Hi all,

I'm building a scale model of the Pioneer Venus Orbiter, and have run into a snag. The top of the cylinder, where the instruments were located, was covered in flight with a deck with gold thermal blankets on it. I have found only a single drawing and two decent paintings, and they disagree on the detailed shape of the deck.

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/image/spacecraft/pv_orbiter.jpg is the best painting I can find that shows the deck. If you look carefully, you can see that though the general shape is a circle, the area near the magnetometer boom is scalloped, and there is an adjacent "straight" section. I have a sort of schematic that shows the "straight" section in a very different place, however, and I can't reconcile the two representations.

Does anybody have an actual, good photo of the deck with thermal blankets installed?

If it's okay, I'll share anything I get with the Yahoo space modeler's group, where we're collecting PVO reference data.

Thanks!
Jeff

Posted by: Decepticon Aug 10 2008, 06:07 PM

I hope this helps. Its something I salvaged from a water destroid Astronomy Book from a garage sale.

Posted by: jgoldader Aug 12 2008, 11:19 PM

Thanks! I was able to get a few closeout photos scanned by very helpful people at NASA Ames, but this is the best labeled diagram I've ever seen of the Orbiter. It is very much appreciated! Of note is that it shows the placement of the propellant tanks.

Jeff