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 Summary

This collection consists of material documenting Ed Johnson's role with the Prienai Mission.

 Biographical / Historical

The Planetary Society, in cooperation with Titan Systems of Los Angeles and the Soviet Institute for Space Research (IKI), sponsored hot-air balloon flights in Prienai, Lithuania, in 1988. These flights were part of the scientific and engineering analysis test program for a potential Soviet robotic mission to Mars which would include deploying balloons in the Martian atmosphere. Ed Johnson was the pilot and owner of the Raven AZ-8 balloon, used during these balloon flights. While the Mars mission was first scheduled for 1992, it was moved to 1994 and then to 1996. An ambitious mission, it was finally canceled as international technical teams were working to adapt their hardware to fit on the lander.

 Identifier

NASM.2022.0001

Creator

Johnson, Ed

Date

1977-1989

Provenance

Ed Johnson, Gift, given to Museum in 2013 -- transferred to the Archives in 2022, NASM.2022.0001

Extent

0.21 Cubic feet (One letter folder, one slim letter document case.)

Archival Repository

National Air and Space Museum Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of the following material documenting Ed Johnson's role with the Prienai Mission: Johnson's balloon log books (1977-1988); Planetary Society documentation; Report on the First Mars Balloon Field Experiment in the USSR, 1988; philately and flown envelopes; Jet Propulsion Laboratory article on Johnson and his employee badge; Balloon Pilot's certificate; ballooning map; invitation from IKI; photograph of Soviet Science Team and USA Balloon Team; and a USSR/USA Mars Balloon 1988 video on DVD.

Arrangement note

...

Rights

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Restrictions

No restrictions on access

Citation

Prienai Mission Collection (Johnson), NASM.2022.0001, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Topics

Ballooning

Prienai Mission

Mars probes

Type

Collection descriptions

Archival materials