Mariner 6 & 7 Post-Mars encounter Options

[gndonald]

I know that Mariner 6 & 7 were tracked for a considerable period after the Mars encounter and that some additional (engineering related?) imagery was taken.

However this is a period that does not get covered in the more general discussions I've read of the mission which effectively end after the Mars encounter.

Does anyone know just how long contact was maintained and if those post encounter images are available in some form?

[Paolo]

I resurrect this topic to share something I only recently found that finally solves what for me had always been a small mystery.
you may remember in fact that the dates of the last contact with Mariner 6 and 7 are apparently not available. I knew that there had been solar conjunctions observed in spring 1970, but how long again the probes were heard was not clear. I have finally found the information in the 3rd volume of the technical memo JPL-TM-33-474 "Tracking and data system support for the Mariner Mars 1969 mission. Volume 3: Extended operations mission"

the extended mission was funded up to 30 December 1970, and it appears that telemetry was last received from both spacecraft on DOY355 (21 December 1970). Both spacecraft were to be placed "in final state" on 23,29,30 December.
Note also on page 70 this sentence:

Week of December 28, Mariner 7, pass 643: Downlink signal was lost from the spacecraft because the spacecraft lost attitude control and began tumbling (attitude control gas supply apparently was depleted).