MARSOFT: A Software Implementation Of The Darian Calendar

T. Gangale. (1990), JBIS, 43, pp.194-202

Refcode: 1990.43.194

Abstract:

The need to reckon time by the natural cycles of Mars began with the landing of Viking 1, the date of which is variously styled as July 20, 1976 A.D. (Gregorian calendar), 7 Mina 0 M.E. (Darian calendar), and Sol 0 Viking chronology). With the receipt of the last Viking 1 transmissions on November 13, 1982 _ 23 Karkata 3 M.E. _ Sol 2245, the requirement for Martian time temporarily ceased. This need will arise again upon the resumption of unmanned exploration of the Martian surface by a roving vehicle and/or sample return spacecraft. Although none has yet been approved, such a mission will probably be undertaken in the next decade. This will be the first opportunity to use U1c Darian calendar, so tl1is new chronometric system intended for Mars may well be used first on Earth on a small scale.