Spacecraft imaging of Phobos and Deimos

Abstract

A series of lower- and higher-resolution pictures of Phobos and Deimos taken from Viking spacecraft is presented. The imaging data imply that the two asteroid-size bodies may indeed have originated in the asteroid belt and may be composed of primordial material from the solar nebula. There is now sufficient knowledge on Phobos and Deimos to consider them as candidate targets for future sample/return missions or for locating bases to monitor Mars.