Viking 1 Lander Model - Unmanned Spaceflight.com

Viking 1 Lander Model, Scale modelling

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vikingmars

Nov 5 2005, 02:14 PM

Post #1

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Well.. Following PhilCo126's statement in
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.p...indpost&p=24859

Here are some pics of the VL1 model I built spare time in 1982 when I was working in Conway's Snyder Viking team as a student in JPL.
It was built from scratch using balsa wood, electrical wires, plaster, cork... I bought then at Pasadena. Its aim was for the simulation of its shadows to assess the possibility or not to see VL1 from orbit using MGCO's 1.5m resolution camera (MGCO was later renamed Mars Observer). The results were that it could be seen only a few hours per day (before 8:30 am and after 3:30 pm) when its shadow was at its maximum extension, BUT not at sunrise or sunset when contrast is too low...
We had no real lander to work with : the Viking Test Lander (somewhat scrapped internally) was in the Air & Space Museum in Washington DC and some spare parts were remaining at Martin Marietta Aerospace plant (now Lockheed Martin).

Those spare parts needed to be assembled together (save for the RTG covers). In fact, Jim Tillman did a great job collecting them and building this lander back for exhibit at Washington University in Seattle (link http://www-k12.atmos.washington.edu/k12/re..._overview.html)

Despite that (i) its color should be Navy grey, (ii) it lacks the thermal protection under the propellant reservoirs and (iii) some details are missing on the footpads,
the rest of this model show a Viking Lander very close to reality in term of protruding parts (made for the shadows experiment) and nearby rocks : we had great fun working with it !

Enjoy !

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Replies

Guest_PhilCo126_*	Jan 19 2008, 01:06 PM Post #2
Guests	Well the space modellers book weblink has changed: http://www.smallspace.demon.co.uk/Space_Mo...eSpaceModel.htm

Posts in this topic

vikingmars Viking 1 Lander Model Nov 5 2005, 02:14 PM

dilo Looking to this nice model, I have two questions a... Nov 5 2005, 03:38 PM

mcaplinger QUOTE (dilo @ Nov 5 2005, 07:38 AM)why I neve... Nov 5 2005, 05:09 PM

vikingmars QUOTE (dilo @ Nov 5 2005, 03:38 PM)Looking to... Nov 5 2005, 05:36 PM

dilo Thanks to all! Nov 5 2005, 07:06 PM

BPCooper QUOTE (dilo @ Nov 5 2005, 03:06 PM)Thanks to ... Nov 5 2005, 09:24 PM

Decepticon Where would someone buy Model Space Probes? I hav... Nov 5 2005, 03:50 PM

Bob Shaw QUOTE (Decepticon @ Nov 5 2005, 04:50 PM)Wher... Nov 6 2005, 10:29 PM

vikingmars ...and here is a picture made this WE to show you ... Nov 6 2005, 12:22 PM

Decepticon The US flag looks purple?! Is it because of th... Nov 6 2005, 12:47 PM

edstrick The US flag looks purple because the camera's ... Nov 6 2005, 01:09 PM

Decepticon Thanks for that explanation. Nov 6 2005, 02:52 PM

vikingmars Thanks, Ed : I confirm this is it with the filters... Nov 6 2005, 04:01 PM

ljk4-1 QUOTE (vikingmars @ Nov 5 2005, 09:14 AM) Wel... Nov 7 2005, 02:53 PM

PhilCo126 Nice Viking Lander scale model indeed ... at which... Nov 8 2005, 07:27 PM

vikingmars The scale is 1m = 5cm on the model ==> 1/20 Nov 8 2005, 09:55 PM

Decepticon What is up with those prices!? Over $100... Nov 8 2005, 10:09 PM

ljk4-1 QUOTE (Decepticon @ Nov 8 2005, 05:09 PM)What... Nov 8 2005, 10:21 PM

djellison Well - take the Realspacemodels Kit - and add 100 ... Nov 8 2005, 10:19 PM

vikingmars ...and for USD 1000, it's not so "real... Nov 9 2005, 10:21 AM

ilbasso If you want to see the Mother of All Modeling Proj... Nov 9 2005, 04:23 PM

Bob Shaw QUOTE (ilbasso @ Nov 9 2005, 05:23 PM)If you ... Nov 9 2005, 04:47 PM

chris QUOTE (Bob Shaw @ Nov 9 2005, 04:47 PM)Never ... Nov 9 2005, 05:02 PM

BPCooper Nick Proach's models are very overpriced and h... Nov 9 2005, 08:39 PM

PhilCo126 Well, realspacemodels in Florida did a nice job ma... Nov 13 2005, 05:45 PM

elakdawalla QUOTE (PhilCo126 @ Nov 13 2005, 09:45 AM)Well... Jan 9 2006, 04:24 PM

PhilCo126 Quick look to the 1/24 VOYAGER scale model: http:/... Jan 8 2006, 05:15 PM

Steffen Does anybody have the small TAKARA scale models of... Jan 9 2006, 06:57 AM

djellison I just got a few of the models from SCI (Voyager, ... Jan 9 2006, 04:34 PM

PhilCo126 I believe that the very small Takara Voyager would... Jan 9 2006, 06:30 PM

Bob Shaw I have just about all the Takara models, which are... Jan 9 2006, 10:16 PM

ljk4-1 QUOTE (Bob Shaw @ Jan 9 2006, 05:16 PM)I have... Jan 9 2006, 10:23 PM

Bob Shaw QUOTE (ljk4-1 @ Jan 9 2006, 11:23 PM)Are... Jan 9 2006, 11:21 PM

Bob Shaw Here are the pictures of the Takara Voyager which ... Jan 15 2006, 02:56 PM

PhilCo126 Here's another nice weblink ( e.g. Mars Global... Jan 10 2006, 04:08 PM

PhilCo126 Thanks for sharing those Bob ... just bought that ... Jan 15 2006, 04:22 PM

Bob Shaw The Takara StarTales models do, indeed, just snap ... Jan 19 2006, 04:36 PM

Bill Harris QUOTE See details of Mat's book at: http://ww... Jan 19 2006, 05:04 PM

PhilCo126 Well the space modellers book weblink has changed:... Jan 19 2008, 01:06 PM

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