Impressive pair of solar panels designed for the Mariner 9 Mars orbiter spacecraft. Both panels measure approximately 87" x 35.5" x 5", and contain a total of 22 rows of solar cells, with each row composed of roughly 43 individual cell strips. The panels are mounted to a support structure with wiring and a single power connection port; a cap to one port is stamped "2004 SP 1/3/5/7 J1," and the wiring to the other is stamped: "Solar Panel Harness MM-69, Dwg. No. J10016712, S/N 002." Additionally, the reverse of one structure is stamped: "100000011-1P, SN 013" and "MM69 Solar Panel, Part No. J10016711, Rev. G., S/N 010." In overall fine condition.
The Mariner 9 spacecraft was built on an octagonal magnesium frame with four solar panels, each 85" x 35" (nearly identical to the above dimensions), that extended out from the top of the frame, with each set of two solar panels spanning 22.6 feet from tip to tip. The Mariner's power was provided by a total of 14,742 solar cells which made up the 4 solar panels with a total area of 25 square feet The solar panels could produce 800 W at Earth and 500 W at Mars, and power was stored in a 20 amp-hr nickel-cadmium battery.
Mariner 9 was launched toward Mars on May 30, 1971, from LC-36B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, and reached the planet on November 14 of the same year, becoming the first spacecraft to orbit another planet-only narrowly beating the Soviet probes Mars 2 and Mars 3, which both arrived at Mars only weeks later. After the occurrence of dust storms on the planet for several months following its arrival, the orbiter managed to send back clear pictures of the surface. Mariner 9 successfully returned 7,329 images over the course of its mission, which concluded in October 1972-the Mariner 9 is expected to remain in Martin orbit until at least 2022, after which the spacecraft is projected to enter the planet's atmosphere and either burn up or crash into the Martian surface.
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