Viking 1 Key Dates:
- 08/20/75: Viking 1 Launch (21:22 UT)
- 06/19/76: Viking 1 Arrival at Mars
- 07/20/76: Viking 1 Mars Landing (11:53:56)
- 08/07/80: Viking 1 End of Mission (Orbiter)
- 02/01/83: Viking 1 End of Mission (Lander)
- Status: Viking 1 Mission Complete
Viking 2 Key Dates:
- 09/09/75: Viking 2 Launch (18:39 UT)
- 08/07/76: Viking 2 Arrival at Mars
- 09/03/76: Viking 2 Mars Landing (22:37:50 UT)
- 07/24/78: Viking 2 End of Mission (Orbiter)
- 04/12/80: Viking 2 End of Mission (Lander)
- Status: Viking 2 Mission Complete
Viking 1 and 2 Missions Information:
Like the Mariners 6 and 7 missions, Viking was a twin spacecraft mission as well, consisting of Viking 1 and Viking 2, launched within a couple of weeks of each other. Each spacecraft consisted of an orbiter and a lander, which traveled attached together for nearly a year to reach Mars orbit. Upon arrival at Mars, the orbiters began taking pictures of the Martian surface, from which a landing site was selected. At that point, landers separated from the orbiters and soft landed, while the oribters continued imaging and, combined, imaged the entire planet at what was then high resolution.During their flights, the orbiters also conducted atmospheric water vapor measurements and infrared thermal mapping and flew within 90 kilometers of Phobos to take images of this larger, inner moon of Mars. The Viking landers took full 360-degree pictures, collected and analyzed samples of the Martian soil, and monitored the temperature, wind direction, and wind speed. The Viking missions revealed further details of volcanoes, lava plains, huge canyons, and the effects of wind and water. Analysis of the soils at the landing sites showed them to be rich in iron, but devoid of any signs of life.
It was during this time when Viking 1 snapped the infamous "Face on Mars" image that has stirred up so much controversy over the years.