The Librarian’s Commission: My Log Entry 1976: The Librarian, the D6, and the Discovery of the Leo Sector

The Librarian’s Gift: My Journey to the Leo Galaxy

I always wanted to be the Captain of the ship and get all the girls like Captain James T. Kirk, and Ken St. Andre’s Starfaring did that job. The journey didn't start in a vacuum; it started in September 1976, the week after Labor Day. The school year was just beginning, but my real education happened when Ken St. Andre, our school librarian, reached across that counter and handed me a copy of Starfaring. It was brand new—it had just been released that August. He didn't just give me a book; he handed me a starship commission. I was six years old, and suddenly, I had the keys to the universe.

The Captain’s Study: September 1976

My desk at home became the bridge of an experimental vessel. While other kids were doing homework, I was deep in a "used future" that felt more real than anything outside my window. My command center was set up with precision:

• The Command Manual: The 80-page Starfaring softcover, with that iconic Ernest Hogan cover art, propped up where I could see every rule.

• The Leo Star Charts: I wasn't just looking at drawings; I had real astronomical books and star charts of the Leo Galaxy spread out across the desk.

• The Sickle Nebula: I spent hours tracing the "Lion’s Mane," mapping out Regulus, Algieba, and Adhafera, turning real stars into tactical waypoints for my ship.

• Tactile Technology: My "gear" consisted of a boxy, handheld comlink and a chunky datapad—utilitarian, mechanical, and built for the grit of deep space.

• The D6 Law: On the corner of the desk sat my dice. Ken taught me that a handful of six-sided dice decided everything. To this day, in my world, all dice—for players and the biggest monsters—are always D6s.

Captain EARL (Age 6): The Starfaring Stats

I HAD A HUGE IMANTION THEN AND HERE'S HOW I WOULD VIEW MY ADVNTURES

 

Using the rules Ken gave me in that library, I rolled up my first version of the Captain. I was built for the "Early Series" era—pioneering, brave, and ready to lead:

Attribute	Value (3D6)	1976 Pioneer Description
STRENGTH (STR)	14	The "Mount of Steel" tenacity to haul heavy gear.
INTELLIGENCE (INT)	17	The brainpower to translate real star charts into FTL paths.
DEXTERITY (DEX)	15	Quick enough to operate the clunky, tactile buttons of a prototype console.
CHARISMA (CHA)	18	The "Kirk Factor"—a natural-born leader of the bridge.
LUCK (LCK)	18	High fortune for a captain navigating the black without a map.

Personal Gear (1976 Pioneer Issue)

The Captain’s Comlink:

The Vessel: The Manticore (NX-Prototype)

As the Captain of this beast, Arthur manages:

• Bite Cannons: Frontal energy batteries.

• The Stinger: A rear-mounted plasma harpoon for boarding actions.

• Manual FTL Jump-Drives: Requiring precise coordination and a successful INT save to traverse the Leo Sector.

The Legacy of D6 Continues 

Ken taught me the most important lesson in that library: the dice are the law. He showed me that a handful of six-sided dice could decide the fate of the Galaxy, a crew, a ship, or an entire civilization. In my universe, from the smallest scout ship to the largest planetary monster, we always roll D6s.

That six-year-old Captain never really left that desk. Every time I write about the Manticore-Class Heavy Assault Cruiser or the Tiger Force Shadow Saga, I’m channeling that September in 1976. The library was just the first hangar bay; the rest of the Leo Sector is still out there, waiting for a Captain who isn't afraid to roll the dice and head into the unknown.

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Product Identity & Legal

The following items are designated Product Identity of Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. / The Adventures of Captain Hedges: The world of Zimrala, the Zimrala Six Players Guide, the Leo Galaxy, the Zosma System, the Arial, the characters Tiger Booze, Angel Booze, Wookgnarf, Kor, and Hawk, the Manticore-Class Heavy Assault Cruiser, and the Tiger Force Shadow Saga. Monsters! Monsters!, Humans, Humans (1st Edition), and Starfaring are trademarks of Ken St. Andre and Troll Godfather Press and are used with permission. All dice used are D6s. Artistry by Angela Head. © 2026 Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. All rights reserved.

September 11th, 1976: More Scooby! More Superheroes! It's the ULTIMATE Saturday Morning Kick-Off!

 Alright, fellow early risers! Can you feel it? That electric buzz in the air? The autumn leaves are just starting to hint at turning, and that means only one thing: the new Saturday morning cartoon season is about to explode onto our screens!

It's September 11th, 1976, and this is the day we've been counting down to all summer!

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September 11th, 1976: More Scooby! More Superheroes! It's the ULTIMATE Saturday Morning Kick-Off!

Wake up, wake up, everyone! This is not a drill! It's September 11th, 1976, and the moment we've all been dreaming about, planning our cereal choices for, and religiously checking the TV Guide for has finally arrived: the brand-new Saturday morning cartoon lineup is here!

You know how it goes. The long summer of repeats, the agonizing wait, wondering what new heroes, villains, and hilarious characters will invade our living rooms. But today, all that waiting pays off. This isn't just TV; this is our weekly pilgrimage, our secret world where anything can happen. CBS, ABC, and NBC have been working hard to bring us the goods, and I've got a feeling this is going to be one of the best seasons yet!

Let's dive right into the incredible new shows and our returning favorites for 1976!

CBS: A Whole New Scooby-Doo, Underwater Sharks, and Jungle Adventures!

CBS is delivering the goods this year, and the biggest news has to be the brand-new The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour! Yes, you heard that right – more Scooby, plus a completely new show with him! Now we get not only the usual Mystery Inc. gang but also Scooby's clumsy country cousin, Scooby-Dum, joining in on some mysteries. And the other half of the hour? It's Dynomutt, Dog Wonder! A robot dog superhero with a wealthy socialite sidekick, Blue Falcon! This is going to be amazing, with all those crazy gadgets and goofy mistakes. It feels like the biggest new show of the year!

They're also bringing us Jabberjaw! Can you believe it? A talking shark in a rock band, living in the year 2076! He’s like the Rodney Dangerfield of the ocean, always saying "No respect!" This is going to be super funny and adventurous. And for something totally different, Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle, finally gets his own cartoon, which looks like it'll be true to the classic stories. Plus, the classic Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show is back, and so are Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids. And get this, The Shazam!/Isis Hour combines our favorite live-action superheroes for an epic hour of crime-fighting and lessons!

ABC: Blockbuster Live-Action, Super Friends, and Gilligan's Animated Island!

ABC is going all out with some seriously awesome live-action this year with The Krofft Supershow! This isn't just one show; it's a whole block featuring new adventures like Electra Woman and Dyna Girl (two female superheroes!), Dr. Shrinker (a scientist who shrinks kids!), and Wonderbug (a magical car!). This sounds like pure Saturday morning magic from the Krofft brothers.

And of course, we absolutely need our dose of Super Friends! Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and the whole gang are back to save the world from various threats. We can’t miss that! The New Adventures of Gilligan are also returning for more animated antics on that deserted island, which is always good for a laugh. It's a solid lineup from ABC!

NBC: Dinosaurs, Monsters, and Size-Changing Fun!

NBC is still bringing the thrills! We're so glad that Land of the Lost is back! That live-action show with the Marshall family trying to survive in a world of dinosaurs and those creepy Sleestaks is still one of the most exciting and intense shows on Saturday mornings. Every week is an adventure of survival!

They’re also bringing us Monster Squad, a new live-action show about a Frankenstein monster, a werewolf, and a vampire, who are actually crime fighters! That sounds like a wild and funny team-up. And for more live-action fun, Big John, Little John has a grown man who keeps shrinking to the size of a kid! This is going to be hilarious. And of course, the ever-smooth Pink Panther Show is back for more silent comedy.

The Best Morning of the Year, Every Year!

That familiar Saturday morning hum is filling the house. The smell of cereal, maybe some toast, and that undeniable buzz of pure childhood joy. The commercials are already popping up: those awesome Mego superhero action figures, the latest Hot Wheels tracks, and all those irresistible sugary cereals with their crazy jingles! Every ad is part of the experience, hyping up what we'll be begging our parents for all week.

This isn't just about watching shows; it’s our weekly escape, our shared adventure with millions of other kids across the country. It's about laughter, gasps, and just being utterly lost in these amazing worlds. 1976 is shaping up to be an absolutely unforgettable year for Saturday mornings. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I just heard Dynomutt's bumbling catchphrase!

What new show are you racing to watch first this morning? Let me know your top picks!

September 11th, 1976: More Scooby! More Superheroes! It's the ULTIMATE Saturday Morning Kick-Off!

 Wake up, wake up, everyone! This is not a drill! It's September 11th, 1976, and the moment we've all been dreaming about, planning our cereal choices for, and religiously checking the TV Guide for has finally arrived: the brand-new Saturday morning cartoon lineup is here!

You know how it goes. The long summer of repeats, the agonizing wait, wondering what new heroes, villains, and hilarious characters will invade our living rooms. But today, all that waiting pays off. This isn't just TV; this is our weekly pilgrimage, our secret world where anything can happen. CBS, ABC, and NBC have been working hard to bring us the goods, and I've got a feeling this is going to be one of the best seasons yet!

Let's dive right into the incredible new shows and our returning favorites for 1976!

CBS: A Whole New Scooby-Doo, Underwater Sharks, and Jungle Adventures!

CBS is delivering the goods this year, and the biggest news has to be the brand-new The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour! Yes, you heard that right – more Scooby, plus a completely new show with him! Now we get not only the usual Mystery Inc. gang but also Scooby's clumsy country cousin, Scooby-Dum, joining in on some mysteries. And the other half of the hour? It's Dynomutt, Dog Wonder! A robot dog superhero with a wealthy socialite sidekick, Blue Falcon! This is going to be amazing, with all those crazy gadgets and goofy mistakes. It feels like the biggest new show of the year!

They're also bringing us Jabberjaw! Can you believe it? A talking shark in a rock band, living in the year 2076! He’s like the Rodney Dangerfield of the ocean, always saying "No respect!" This is going to be super funny and adventurous. And for something totally different, Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle, finally gets his own cartoon, which looks like it'll be true to the classic stories. Plus, the classic Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show is back, and so are Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids. And get this, The Shazam!/Isis Hour combines our favorite live-action superheroes for an epic hour of crime-fighting and lessons!

ABC: Blockbuster Live-Action, Super Friends, and Gilligan's Animated Island!

ABC is going all out with some seriously awesome live-action this year with The Krofft Supershow! This isn't just one show; it's a whole block featuring new adventures like Electra Woman and Dyna Girl (two female superheroes!), Dr. Shrinker (a scientist who shrinks kids!), and Wonderbug (a magical car!). This sounds like pure Saturday morning magic from the Krofft brothers.

And of course, we absolutely need our dose of Super Friends! Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and the whole gang are back to save the world from various threats. We can’t miss that! The New Adventures of Gilligan are also returning for more animated antics on that deserted island, which is always good for a laugh. It's a solid lineup from ABC!

NBC: Dinosaurs, Monsters, and Size-Changing Fun!

NBC is still bringing the thrills! We're so glad that Land of the Lost is back! That live-action show with the Marshall family trying to survive in a world of dinosaurs and those creepy Sleestaks is still one of the most exciting and intense shows on Saturday mornings. Every week is an adventure of survival!

They’re also bringing us Monster Squad, a new live-action show about a Frankenstein monster, a werewolf, and a vampire, who are actually crime fighters! That sounds like a wild and funny team-up. And for more live-action fun, Big John, Little John has a grown man who keeps shrinking to the size of a kid! This is going to be hilarious. And of course, the ever-smooth Pink Panther Show is back for more silent comedy.

Saturday Morning Cartoons The Best Morning of the Year, Every Year!

That familiar Saturday morning hum is filling the house. The smell of cereal, maybe some toast, and that undeniable buzz of pure childhood joy. The commercials are already popping up: those awesome Mego superhero action figures, the latest Hot Wheels tracks, and all those irresistible sugary cereals with their crazy jingles! Every ad is part of the experience, hyping up what we'll be begging our parents for all week.

This isn't just about watching shows; it’s our weekly escape, our shared adventure with millions of other kids across the country. It's about laughter, gasps, and just being utterly lost in these amazing worlds. 1976 is shaping up to be an absolutely unforgettable year for Saturday mornings. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I just heard Dynomutt's bumbling catchphrase!

What new show are you racing to watch first this morning? Let me know your top picks!

 

A 1976 Voyage to the Red Planet: The Orbit of Viking 2 (Part 2 – The Red Planet Beckons)

By Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr.

Dateline: Saturday, August 7, 1976

Introduction

The heavy summer heat of 1976 is hanging thick outside, but inside the living room, all attention is locked back onto the wooden console television. America has just spent the last month celebrating its grand Bicentennial Fourth of July and cheering the miraculous July 20th touchdown of Viking 1 on the golden-red sands of Chryse Planitia.

To a five-year-old boy sitting cross-legged on the carpet, space fever is running higher than ever. For nearly a full year—333 long days and some 440 million miles across the silent void—the twin sister has been coasting through the dark. Today, the wait is over. Viking 2 has arrived at Mars.

The Burn: August 7, 1976

Earlier today, flight controllers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory held their breath as Viking 2 closed the final gap on the rust-colored world. To be captured by Martian gravity instead of skipping off into deep space, the spacecraft had to execute a flawless, high-stakes orbital insertion burn.

• The Engine Fires: At the precise second calculated months in advance, the orbiter's liquid-propellant rocket engine roared to life, burning for roughly 39 minutes to bleed off excess interplanetary speed.

• The High Ellipse: The burn went off without a hitch, locking Viking 2 into a sweeping elliptical orbit ranging from roughly 930 miles (1,500 km) at its closest dip to over 20,500 miles (33,000 km) out at its high point.

• Systems Check: Signals beamed across the 200-million-mile gulf confirm that all systems aboard the combined orbiter-lander stack are alive, healthy, and drawing power from the craft's massive solar wings.

Scouting the Frontier: The Hunt for a Safe Haven

Getting into orbit is only half the battle. Viking 2 wasn’t sent out here just to take pictures; it is carrying an automated laboratory built to descend directly into the dirt.

Right now, the orbiter's high-resolution visual cameras are powering up to survey the intended landing targets far to the north. Mission planners originally eyed regions like Cydonia, but the terrain looks wickedly rugged, jagged with craters, and choked with potentially fatal boulder fields. Over the coming days and weeks, Viking 2 will act as an eye in the sky, snapping orbit-to-surface reconnaissance photos to find a smoother flatland where the lander won't flip over upon touchdown. The primary contender: the vast northern basin known as Utopia Planitia.

Watch the Mission Unfold: 1976 NASA Archival Film

To see how NASA engineered and produced an official 1976 documentary report titled Viking (1976). In this journey you'll see how they planned the orbital approach to Mars,, the complex orbital mechanics, and how the orbiters mapped the canyons and surveyed the landing sites from above.

So check out this restored 1976 documentary showing the orbital surveying and mission science:

🎥 Archival Mission Film (1976): Watch NASA's "Viking (1976)" – Mission to Mars & Orbital Operations

Conclusion

Sitting in front of the humming glass screen, watching the newscasters hold up diagrams of orbital paths and black-and-white radar sweeps, it feels like the future has officially arrived. Viking 2 is circling overhead like a watchful hawk, studying the red dirt below and searching for the exact patch of ground it will soon call home. The clock is officially ticking toward touchdown.

Stay tuned for Part 3: Touchdown in Utopia, as the lander cuts loose for its death-defying plunge to the surface on September 3, 1976!

Call to Action (CTA)

Do you remember where you were during the Bicentennial summer of 1976 when both Viking probes were circling Mars? Drop your memories of that golden era of space exploration in the comments below!

Meta Description

Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. reports from August 7, 1976 on Viking 2’s successful orbital insertion burn around Mars during the historic Bicentennial summer.

Product Identity & Legal

The following items are designated Product Identity of Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. / The Adventures of Captain Hedges: The specific narrative composition of this dispatch, the editorial commentary, and The Adventures of Captain Hedges brand identity. All NASA mission media, archival photography, and spacecraft designations remain public domain educational records of the United States Government. © 1976 Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. All rights reserved.

See Part 3 here comming soon 

My Last Ride with Uncle Wayne A Six-Year-Olds Viewpoint

 

My Last Ride with Uncle Wayne

I was six years old when my great uncle, John Wayne, made his last movie. To me, he wasn’t a legend; he was just Uncle Wayne. He was bigger than any tree, his voice rumbled like thunder, and he always smelled faintly of leather and the outdoors. And he had a horse, a chestnut stallion named Duke—just like him—who was just as famous in my eyes.

That horse was his partner. He didn't have a name on the posters, but he was there. I’d heard the grown-ups say they had made over twenty movies together. From a six-year-old’s point of view, they were the ultimate team. On the set of The Shootist, I saw their reunion every morning. Uncle Wayne would walk on set, see Duke saddled and ready, and a real smile would cross his face. They trusted each other.

From my hiding spot behind the big cameras, I’d watch them film. The movie was about a famous cowboy named J.B. Books, who was the best shot in the world but was sick and just wanted to be left alone. The grown-ups called his sickness “cancer,” a word they always whispered. I just thought he was tired. But when he was on Duke, he looked invincible. I remember him saying once, loud and clear for everyone to hear, “I don’t need a double when I’ve got Duke underneath me.”

But even a six-year-old could feel the quiet on that set. Time, as it always does, was catching up.

It was the final day of shooting. After the last take, the director yelled "cut!" and a strange quiet fell. The crew started packing up, but Uncle Wayne stayed back. He stood alone in the dusty light, beside Duke. It was the last time he would ride him.

From where I was watching, I saw him lean in and whisper to his old friend, Duke. I asked him later what he told his horse. He said, "I told him we had a good run, partner. Sorry it has to end. You definitely carried me well."

I saw Uncle Wayne wipe his eye. Not out of pain—but gratitude.

A moment later, he turned from his horse and faced the crew. He looked around at everyone—some new, some who had walked with him for decades. He looked right past the cameras and his eyes found mine for just a second. Then, with that familiar quiet strength, he spoke to them all:

“Thank you… for walking with me to the end of the trail.”

No one moved. Some of the crew lowered their eyes. A few tough-looking men wiped away tears. I didn't fully understand then, but I knew I had seen two goodbyes. One to a horse that knew every line without speaking a word, and one to the people who had shared his journey.

It wasn’t just the end of a film. It was the end of an era.

Now, all these years later, I understand. Legends don’t fade. They leave quietly—etched forever in the hearts of those who believed in honor, grit, and the courage to finish the ride.

🤠🐎 Some heroes ride alone. But the best ones always had a horse beside them.

A 1975 Voyage to the Red Planet Twin Birds to Mars: The 1975 Viking 1 and 2 Launches

 

Special Dispatch: The Roar from Pad 41 (Part 1 – The Launch of Viking 1 and 2)

By Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr.

Dateline: 

Viking 1 Launched on August 20, 1975, at 21:22:00 UTC (5:22 PM EDT / 4:22 PM CDT).

Viking 2: Launched on September 9, 1975, at 18:39:00 UTC (2:39 PM EDT / 1:39 PM CDT).

The Glow of the Console Screen

Introduction

Long before high-speed internet, real-time telemetry feeds, or digital streaming, the gateway to outer space was a massive wooden console television humming in the corner of the living room.

I was just five years old, sitting cross-legged on the carpet, glued to the glass screen. The unmistakable voice of Walter Cronkite anchored the evening news, breaking through the static to talk about distant worlds, interplanetary rockets, and mechanical emissaries bound for the unknown. For a five-year-old boy, that clunky TV wasn't just a piece of furniture—it was a magic portal. You sat there in wide-eyed silence, holding your breath, waiting for those first grainy, red-tinted photographs of Martian rocks to beam across millions of miles of empty space and illuminate the living room.

The afternoon glow is humming off the glass screen of our heavy wooden console television set in the living room. Across America, families are tuning into the network news as Walter Cronkite describes what is happening down on the warm coast of Florida.

To a five-year-old boy sitting cross-legged on the living room rug—proudly suited up in that vintage 1975 Ben Cooper Star Trek jumpsuit, complete with the golden Enterprise emblem stamped across the chest—this isn't just news. It is pure wonder. Less than a month after Viking 1 soared away, the second great rocket of the Bicentennial era is standing on the pad, pressurized, fuming with liquid oxygen, and ready to leap into the black sky toward Mars.

The Second Bird Takes Flight: Tuesday September 9, 1975

While the world remembers the historic landings during America's Bicentennial summer of 1976, the odyssey of Viking 2 actually began a year earlier under the blistering sun of the Florida Space Coast.

On September 9, 1975, all eyes turned to Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Standing tall on the pad was a colossal Titan IIIE / Centaur rocket, fueled and ready to propel over four tons of advanced American engineering into the void. Viking 1 was already three weeks ahead in deep space, but Viking 2 was the crucial second half of humanity's grandest assault on the Red Planet.

When the countdown hit zero, the Titan boosters ignited with an earth-shaking roar, carving a blinding trail of white-hot fire straight into the Florida sky. Tucked safely inside the nose fairing was a dual-craft package—an orbiter built to map the planet from above, and an automated robotic lander destined to survive the descent to the Martian plains.

As the rumble faded and the rocket vanished into the upper atmosphere, a 333-day, 440-million-mile voyage across the black had officially begun. The bird was loose, and on the other end of that silent trajectory lay an ancient, rust-covered desert waiting to meet its first mechanical visitor.

Countdown at Complex 41

Today, September 9, 1975, all eyes turned to Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Standing on the pad was the massive Titan IIIE / Centaur rocket stack. Tucked safely inside the white payload shroud is Viking 2—a four-ton spacecraft package holding both an orbital surveyor and an automated landing craft. The mission: push beyond where any lander has gone before, targeting the northern plains of the Red Planet.

As the terminal count ticked down to zero, the launch pad erupted:

• Ignition: The twin solid rocket boosters lit with a blinding flash, unleashing 2.4 million pounds of thrust.

• The Shockwave: Deluge water turned into massive billowing clouds of white steam, shaking the ground for miles across the Florida marshland.

• Clearing the Tower: The Titan rocket climbed straight up through the smoke, riding a brilliant pillar of orange flame reflected in the coastal waters below.

• Staging to Mars: Piercing the blue sky, the solid motors burned out, the Centaur high-energy liquid hydrogen stage took over, and Viking 2 was successfully kicked out of Earth orbit into deep space.

With the burns complete and the solar panels spread wide, the bird is officially outbound on its 333-day, 440-million-mile journey across the void.

Watch the Bird Take Flight: Archival Launch Footage

To capture that exact mid-70s atmosphere, check out this historic archival footage of the Viking launch program, which provides rare film showing the Titan III-E rockets lifting off on their mission to Mars:

🎥 The Viking Program & Titan III-E Liftoff: Watch the Historical Viking Launch Overview

And experience the real-time speed and roar of Viking 2 itself blasting off Pad 41, captured across multiple restored camera angles:

🎥 Viking 2 Liftoff Multi-Angle Reel: Watch the Viking 2 Launch – Remastered NASA Footage

YouTube

Mars Viking Spacecraft - Interplanetary Trailblazers

Open in YouTube

Mars Viking Spacecraft - Interplanetary Trailblazers Gordouxx Opens in a new window The Viking program consisted of a pair of identical American space probes, Viking 1 and Viking 2 both launched in 1975, and landed on Mars in 1976. The mission effort began in 1968 and was managed by the NASA Langley Research Center. Each spacecraft was composed of two main parts: an orbiter spacecraft which photographed the surface of Mars from orbit, and a lander which studied the planet from the surface. The orbiters also served as communication relays for the landers once they touched down. The Viking program grew from NASA's earlier, even more ambitious, Voyager Mars program, which was not related to the successful Voyager deep space probes of the late 1970s. Viking 1 was launched on August 20, 1975, and the second craft, Viking 2, was launched on September 9, 1975, both riding atop Titan IIIE rockets with Centaur upper stages. Viking 1 entered Mars orbit on June 19, 1976, with Viking 2 following on August 7. After orbiting Mars for more than a month and returning images used for landing site selection, the orbiters and landers detached; the landers then entered the Martian atmosphere and soft-landed at the sites that had been chosen. The Viking 1 lander touched down on the surface of Mars on July 20, 1976, more than two weeks before Viking 2's arrival in orbit. Viking 2 then successfully soft-landed on September 3. The orbiters continued imaging and performing other scientific operations from orbit while the landers deployed instruments on the surface. The program terminated in 1982. The project cost was roughly US$1 billion at the time of launch, equivalent to about $6 billion in 2023 dollars. The mission was considered successful and formed most of the body of knowledge about Mars through the late 1990s and early 2000s. Opens in a new window

Viking 2 Launch - AI Upscale, Cleanup, Multiple Angles, Real Speed, NASA, Mars, Titan IIIE, 1975 Retro Space HD Opens in a new window AI upscale and cleanup of Viking 2 launch on September 9, 1975 (Titan IIIE/Centaur). Sequences are shown at real speed and presented at 60fps (footage comes from high frame rate cameras and video). Individual camera sequences are shown at the end of the video and repeated at 1/4 speed. The original launch footage was silent - ambient and rocket sounds were added. AI upscale (Topaz AI) was used to resample the film to full HD resolution. While it works in most cases, some artifacts are present in some sequences. Sound and image cleanup, conversion to original 24 fps frame rate, geometry and color correction by RetroSpace HD. ======================================== The Viking 2 mission was part of the American Viking program to Mars and consisted of an orbiter and a lander essentially identical to that of the Viking 1 mission. Viking 2 was operational on Mars for 1281 sols (1,316 days; 3 years, 221 days). The Viking 2 lander operated on the surface for 1,316 days, or 1281 sols, and was turned off on April 12, 1980, when its batteries failed. The orbiter worked until July 25, 1978, returning almost 16,000 images in 706 orbits around Mars. ======================================== A special thanks to the channel supporters ( https://www.patreon.com/RetroSpaceHD ): Asbjørn Bathypterois David Graves Drew Granston Elpacholag Francis Bernier Gary Smith Gio Pagliari Glenn W. Hussey Iain J Jackson Johnson Jan Strzelecki Jeff Pleimling Jules E Kevin Spencer Martin J Lollar Michael Pennington Nathan Koga Noah Soderquist Popio Rick Durr Ryan Hardy Scott Manley ======================================== #viking2 #vikingmars #titanIII #nasa Opens in a new window

Conclusion

Watching that blinding plume carve into the Florida sky leaves an unforgettable mark on a young mind. As the screen fades and the report winds down, a five-year-old boy is left with his head full of rockets, wondering what kind of strange alien dirt and red horizons are waiting at the other end of the solar system. The launch is in the history books, and the long voyage to Mars has begun.

Join us next time for Part 2: The Red Planet Beckons, as we track Viking 2's orbital insertion at Mars in August 1976!

Call to Action (CTA)

Did you watch the rocket liftoff on television today? What do you hope this spacecraft finds when it reaches Mars next year? Share your launch reactions in the comments!

Meta Description

Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. covers the September 9, 1975 launch of NASA's Viking 2 atop a Titan IIIE Centaur rocket heading for Mars.

Product Identity & Legal

The following items are designated Product Identity of Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. / The Adventures of Captain Hedges: The specific narrative composition of this dispatch, the editorial commentary, and The Adventures of Captain Hedges brand identity. All NASA mission media, archival film, and spacecraft designations remain public domain educational records of the United States Government. © 1975 Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. All rights reserved.

add link to part 2 here form 1976 when it actully lands on mars to be continued.

September 6th, 1975: More Power! More Ghosts! The New Saturday Morning Lineup Has Exploded!

September 6th, 1975: More Power! More Ghosts! The New Saturday Morning Lineup Has Exploded!

Wake up, wake up, everyone! It’s September 6th, 1975, and this is NOT a drill! The new Saturday morning cartoon schedule is officially here, and after months of reruns, this feels like we’ve been given the keys to a whole new universe of awesome!

You know the drill. We've been circling dates on our calendars, pouring over the TV Guide, and buzzing with anticipation. This isn't just another weekend; this is the launch of our most important mission: pure, unadulterated cartoon enjoyment. The big three networks – CBS, ABC, and NBC – have been cooking up some seriously cool stuff, and I, for one, am ready to dive in headfirst!

Let's see what incredible new adventures and returning champions 1975 has brought us!

CBS: Mighty Heroes, Hilarious Ghosts, and Ape Escapes!

CBS is really stacking the deck this year with some incredible new live-action shows that feel straight out of our comic books! The biggest buzz is for The Secrets of Isis! Wow! A female superhero with ancient Egyptian powers! Andrea Thomas can transform into Isis and wield the powers of the gods! This looks absolutely fantastic, and it's so cool to see a powerful hero like her.

And get this: The Ghost Busters! No, not those cartoon ones, this is a live-action show with a gorilla! It stars Forrest Tucker and Larry Storch from F Troop, and they bust ghosts with their talking gorilla, Tracy! This is going to be hilarious and spooky all at once. Plus, they’re bringing back some of our favorites like Shazam! for more Captain Marvel action, and Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids for more laughs and lessons from the gang in the junkyard. And they're taking us back to a primitive world with Return to the Planet of the Apes, an animated series following more adventures on that crazy planet!

ABC: Island Fun, Cartoon Classics, and Giant Apes!

ABC is rolling out some fresh takes on beloved classics! The one I'm super excited about is The New Adventures of Gilligan! Yes, the castaways from Gilligan's Island are back, but in animated form! Gilligan, Skipper, the Professor, Mary Ann, Ginger, Mr. Howell, and Mrs. Howell, still stuck on that desert island. This is going to be so much fun to see their animated antics.

And of course, we still have our dynamic duo with The New Tom & Jerry/Grape Ape Show! Those classic cat-and-mouse chases never get old, and Grape Ape is always good for a giant laugh. And Super Friends are back! Our weekly dose of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the whole crew saving the world is always a must-see. We'll also get more adventures with Hong Kong Phooey, the number one super guy!

NBC: Mysterious Kitties and Prehistoric Worlds!

NBC is bringing some real unique shows to the table! There's The Secret Lives of Waldo Kitty, a cartoon about a cat who imagines himself as various famous characters to escape his problems. That sounds like it's going to be really funny and imaginative.

And, thankfully, Land of the Lost is back! That live-action show about the Marshall family trapped in a world of dinosaurs and Sleestaks is still one of the coolest and most thrilling shows on Saturday mornings. Every week is an edge-of-your-seat adventure. We'll also get more from the classic Pink Panther Show with his smooth, silent humor. And Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, the friendly Krofft monster, is back for more laughs.

The Best Morning of the Week, Every Week!

That specific Saturday morning smell is in the air – maybe a little burnt toast, definitely the sweet scent of cereal, mixed with the electric hum of the television. The commercials are already blasting, hyping up the latest Stretch Armstrong, the incredible Evel Knievel sets, and all those amazing Hostess Fruit Pies we beg our parents for. Every jingle, every bright, colorful ad, is just part of this perfect morning.

This isn't just about watching TV; it’s our weekly escape, our shared adventure. It’s about knowing that millions of other kids are out there, just like us, glued to their screens, laughing, gasping, and soaking it all in. 1975 is shaping up to be an incredible year for Saturday mornings. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I just heard Isis calling out her powers!

What new show are you most excited to watch first this morning? Let me know your top picks!