SP-4212
On Mars: Exploration of the Red Planet. 1958-1978

JPL engineers also outlined these plan for landing Voyager.

JPL engineers also outlined these plan for landing Voyager. At about 6100 meters, the craft would be traveling 140-335 meters per second, depending on the density of the Martian atmosphere. To slow the lander canister, braking rockets would fire. At about the same time, the inertial guidance system and the radar altimeter would be activated to control the final approach. At a slant range of 610 meters, the lander would be pyrotechnically separated from the aeroshell. By this time, the craft would have slowed to 15-105 meters per second. At 25 meters from the surface, it would stabilize at 1.5 meters per second firing the terminal descent engines. The engines would shutdown at 3 meters to prevent undue alternation of the terrain. At touchdown, the lander would be traveling 3-8 meters per second. VPE-14 Project Study, September 1966.

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