Andrew Gray wrote in message ...
In article , Michael R.
Grabois ... change $ to "s" wrote:

http://www.geocities.com/wizardimps/smithsonian2.jpg
As near as I can tell, this is a mockup, replica, or test article for Mariner
3&4 (when you compare it to the photo at the Encyclopedia Astronautica at
http://www.astronautix.com/craft/marner34.htm). I searched the NASM site
(http://www.nasm.si.edu/collections/space/space.html) and it doesn't list a
Mariner 3 or 4, only a 2 and a 10 (since removed). Anyone know any more?

It's certainly not a Mariner 2 replica - too many solar panels, if
nothing else - and doesn't look like Mariner 10 either. Not that it
would, in '65...

The picture's not a wonderful match to the astronautix one, but I've a
copy of a line drawing at about that angle and it matches v. well (it's
hard to see details on the bit sticking up, but the rest is a dead cert
and that looks about right).

So, yeah, Mariner 3 or 4. Given 3 was a failure, probably intended as a
replica of 4.

Googling, there's Mariner 4 replicas at the Michigan Space &
Science*Center (in Jackson) and the California Science Center (in LA).
Perhaps it ended up at one of these?


Agreed. The solar pressure vanes at the ends of the solar panels are the giveaway.