Viking Mission Operation Status Bulletin No1_March-31-1975 Page 2

The first Bulletin provides some insight into milestones from the first phase of Mission Operations. This includes Training and Testing to prepare the Teams that would be managing the Flight Operations from Jet Propulsion Laboratories (JPL) during the flight and primary mission. Testing and Training was designed by a multidisciplinary method including team members from many Centers and contractors. This permitted expertise in the minutia that could influence the mission during real time. The Training and Testing was conducted using both real physical test units, as well as simulated testing for the many systems requried to make the mission succesful. These included Ground Data (hardware and software for command sequencing, science insturments, launch, orbiter and lander vehicles, and systems such as imaging that were critical to mission success. They also included Integration Testing with the Mission Operations staff at each Tracking Station in Canberra, Goldstone, and Madrid. as well as on site staff at JPL. This series of Bulletins covers the entire period from pre launch (Bulletin 1) through Mission Operations and concludes with a Special Edition in color covering the Mission Science.