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As previously described, the Deep Space Network - Jet Propulsion Laboratory - University of Washington real time downlink capability allowed Tillman to propose extending the Real Time link from UW to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, NASM, Washington, D.C. The VCF and Museum's Center for Earth and Planetary Sciences, CEPS, jointly developed the exhibit. The VCF developing the communications, computer and display facilities, while the Museum staff developed the physical exhibit. This was the first digital public display from the surface of Mars for many years, and this permanent ``The Viking view of Mars'' exhibit is in its 20th year in the Museum's Planetary Gallery. To implement the original exhibit, we obtained the donation of a state of the art digital display system and Pr1me 450 super-mini computer in 1982 for CEPS, their first computer.
Subsequently, for the Pathfinder mission, we created a Live from Mars web component displaying atmospheric temperatures direct from Pathfinder and our second Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum exhibit with CEPS. The overall Live from Earth and Mars program, received 10 million hits during July 1997 when Pathfinder landed on Mars and is described in Behind the Scenes at Mars Pathfinder Mission Operations by Jim Tillman.