Research Professor Emeritus

1933 – 2023

James E. Tillman was a Research Professor Emeritus in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Washington. Among his specialties were developing instruments and systems for the study of the atmospheric boundary layers of Earth and Mars, scientific studies of these atmospheres, and applying these experiences to K-12, University, and public education. He was a member of the Viking Mission to Mars Meteorology Science Team and is responsible for initiating the continuation of the Viking Lander 1 mission, when NASA was going to shut it down due to decommissioning of the Mission Operations Computer system. He and his staff replicated the JPL downlink processing of engineering, meteorology and other science and carried it out from sol 917 until the loss of communication on sol 2,245, more than 3 years. He was the author of numerous scientific papers, many articles on advanced humidity sensors, and a Co-Author of the “Atmospheric Dynamics” chapter of the book Mars. Scientific contributions included discovery of a global oscillation mode which may be involved in triggering Martian dust storms, important weather front and boundary layer properties, (including terrestrial) and the intermittent nature of “great” Martian dust storms from year to year. He was a co-author of a meteorology chapter in “Towards Mars” and contributed significantly to the Mars Exploration Strategy.

Tillman was an invited Co-Investigator in the Atmospheric Sciences Investigation Team’s NetLander proposal for the European Mars program to land a network of 4 stations on Mars in 2007, before it was cancelled due to NASA withdrawal. He played a significant role in developing the proposal’s scientific and environmental operational components, initially representing both himself and the Danish National Laboratory’s interests. He was a Visiting Professor at the Geophysics Division of the Finnish Meteorology Institute and spent several months a year helping develop the NetLander Atmospheric Science Investigation along with a public outreach program there in conjunction with his US programs. In 2000, Tillman became a member of the Finnish IMEWG delegation to the International Mars Exploration Working Group, IMEWG, which co-ordinates all Martian exploration efforts. IMEWG includes “all Martian research organizations” such as the Canadian, European, Finnish, French, …, and US (NASA), Space Agencies. Some of his proposals had been incorporated in the “Mars Exploration Strategy” adopted in Helsinki, Nov. 10, 2000.

In conjunction with and addition to his Mars NetLander activities and atmospheric boundary layer research, Tillman developed K-12 and public outreach initiatives for 25 years. They included collaboratively installing sophisticated weather stations in schools for student and teacher use, developing educational materials, and having students and teachers directly participate with him in his Mars programs. These collaborations involved direct support by individuals, institutions and public service organizations.

To acquire multiple years Martian meteorological data, James, his Viking Computer Facility staff, and a JPL programmer, converted the Viking Mission Operations Software to run on his UW computer facility, taking over Viking Lander Spacecraft engineering data processing from Jet Propulsion Laboratory for more than 1,000 Mars days, (sols), at the end of the mission. This was the only source for spacecraft engineering data, and the VCF staff played a key role in doubling the lifetime of the Viking mission. The system was then interfaced to the NASA Real Time Communications System, NASCOM, and based on this real time operation, Tillman initiated the “Viking View of Mars” permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. This exhibit was the first computer driven exhibit at the Museum and was implemented by acquiring an image processing system and super mini-computer by donations to the Museum and by developing state of the art hardware, software and institutional interfaces. His second exhibit, displaying Live from Mars Pathfinder data, was the first “web” developed exhibit at the museum.

Tillman was a member of the Pathfinder Atmospheric Structures/Meteorology Science Advisory Team, and was a collaborator in the Russian, European Mars 96 mission, and the Principal Science Advisor for “Mission to Mars”, an NSF funded national Traveling Exhibition for Science Education. In addition to numerous scientific or technical papers, he has given hundreds of talks to K-12 students, as well as institutional, and public audiences worldwide. He initiated and led the development of the Pathfinder “Live from Mars” component of Live from Earth and Mars, and he and Neal Johnson developed its web resources.

Donations in honor of Jim Tillman can be made to The Viking Mars Missions Education and
Preservation Project (VMMEPP), a 501c3 Founded by his daughter to preserve the history, artifacts,
and Archives of the mission and all individuals who worked on it.

The Viking Mars Missions Education & Preservation Project, VMMEPP
https://www.vikingpreservationproject.org