Famed astronomer and Cornell University scientist Carl Sagan takes the viewer to the Red Planet in this circa 1972 official NASA film, “Mars: The Search Begins.” Sagan explains that not much was known about our neighbor in space until the unmanned Mariner 9 space probe, which was launched toward Mars in 1971. At mark 00:55, geologist and astronomer Harold Masursky explains how scientists were working to understand how the planet was formed, while biologist Gerald Soffen explains the importance of the search for life on Mars (mark 01:27). Beginning at mark 01:53, we see several images taken by Mariner 9 while we’re told of the significance of the scenes, including massive dust storms and volcanoes. At mark 04:20 we learn of the temperature variations that range from -150 degrees at night to 70 degrees on the equator. As the film continues we learn of how scientists were using images to carefully map the surface, as well as it’s two moons — Phobos and Deimos. Mark 06:15 shows artist renditions of what the surface of Mars may look like, with red sands giving way to blue sky and wispy white clouds. Sagan returns at mark 07:00 to discuss changes observed on the Martian surface that they concluded were the result of high winds uncovering material underneath, while images sustain his claims. He also discusses 3,000 mile long rifts on the Martian surface (mark 10:15) and possible volcanic activity at Olympus Mons (mark 12:30). Mariner 9 images also contained a few surprises, Sagan explains starting at mark 15:30, including hundreds channels that they believed may have been cut by running water — even though no evidence of water had been found. At mark 19:30, Soffen returns to ponder “what is life” and does life in any form exist on Mars. At mark 21:55, the film looks toward the future the planned 1976 Viking mission, which safely landed a pair of spacecraft on the planet. (Soffen explained, starting at mark 22:05, that a major goal of Viking was to search for life). The film’s narrator (actor Vic Perrin) concludes at mark 27:25 that the mission may answer one of science’s greatest questions: “Has life developed only on Earth? Or is there life elsewhere?”
Mariner 9 (Mariner Mars ’71 / Mariner-I) was an unmanned NASA space probe that contributed greatly to the exploration of Mars and was part of the Mariner program. Mariner 9 was launched toward Mars on May 30, 1971 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and reached the planet on November 14 of the same year, becoming the first spacecraft to orbit another planet – only narrowly beating the Soviets’ Mars 2 and Mars 3, which both arrived within a month. After months of dust storms it managed to send back clear pictures of the surface. Mariner 9 returned 7329 images over the course of its mission, which concluded in October 1972. Mariner 9 remains a derelict satellite in Mars orbit. It is expected to remain in orbit until approximately 2022, when the spacecraft is projected to enter the Martian atmosphere and either burn up or crash into the planet’s surface.
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