Viking Lander 1's U.S. Flag
The flag of the United States with the rocky Martian surface in the
background is seen in this color picture taken on the sixth day of Viking
Lander 1 on Mars (July 26). The flag is on the RTG (Radioisotope
Thermoelectric Generator) wind screen. Below the flag is the
bicentennial logo and the Viking symbol which shows an ancient
Viking ship. This Viking symbol was designed by Peter Purol of
Baltimore, winner of the Viking logo contest open to high school
science students. To the right is the Reference Test Chart used for color
balancing of the color images. At the bottom is the GCMS Processor
Distribution Assembly with the wind screens unfurled demonstrating
that the GCMS cover was deployed properly. The scene in the
background is looking almost due west on Mars. The lighter zone at the
far horizon is about 3 km (nearly 2 miles) from the Lander. The darker
line below this is a hill crest much closer to the Lander (about 200 m or
about 650 feet). The picture was taken at local Mars Time of 7:18 A.M.,
hence the relatively dark sky and the far horizon illuminated by the sun
just rising behind the Lander.
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