Viking 1

Viking 1 was the first of two spacecraft, along with Viking 2, each consisting of an orbiter and a lander, sent to Mars as part of NASA's Viking program. The lander touched down on Mars on July 20, 1976, the first successful Mars lander in history. Viking 1 operated on Mars for 2,307 days or 2245 Martian solar days, the longest extraterrestrial surface mission until the record was broken by the Opportunity rover on May 19, 2010.

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1975  Wikimedia, Wikidata
Viking-B
space mission, Titan IIIE, 

​

Location: KML, Cluster Map, Maps,

1975-08-20T00:00:00Z

1975-08-20T00:00:00Z

1975 Viking 1

1976-07-20T00:00:00Z

1976-07-20T00:00:00Z

soft landing

1982-11-11T00:00:00Z

1982-11-11T00:00:00Z

loss of signal

1982-11-13T00:00:00Z

1982-11-13T00:00:00Z

loss of signal

1975-08-20T00:00:00Z

1975-08-20T00:00:00Z

rocket launch

1976-06-19T00:00:00Z

1976-06-19T00:00:00Z

orbital activity

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Frameless

This is an artist's conception of the sequence of events that will take place just prior to landing a life-detection laboratory on the surface of Mars on July 4, 1976.

Viking I Spacecraft in Cleanroom - GPN-2000-001630

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Closeup view shows mated Viking Lander (top) and Orbiter in Kennedy Space Center Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility.

Viking 1 Orbiter and Lander attached, ovale bulge at the top is lander

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Technicians prepared for removal of Viking Lander 1's aeroshell cover in KSC's Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility 2 (SAEF-2) today.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Closeup view shows mated Viking Lander (top) and Orbiter in Kennedy Space Center Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The mated orbiter and lander for Viking A were encapsulated within a Centaur shroud at Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility 2 (SAEF-2) today.

MarsAtmosphere T Profile Pathfinder

PIA00170-MC-10-LunaePalusRegion-19980605

Viking I Probe Model.

• Composition and structure of the martian atmosphere: preliminary results from viking 1. - scientific article, Q1860, 1976
• Structure of the neutral upper atmosphere of Mars: results from viking 1 and viking 2. - scientific article published on December 1976, Q1860
• Argon Content of the Martian Atmosphere at the Viking 1 Landing Site: Analysis by X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy - scientific article published on 01 August 1976, Q1860

Type	Subtype	Date	Description	Notes	Source
commons	image		This is an artist's conception of the sequence of events that will take place just prior to landing a life-detection laboratory on the surface of Mars on July 4, 1976.		Commons
commons	image		Viking I Spacecraft in Cleanroom - GPN-2000-001630		Commons
commons	image		KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Closeup view shows mated Viking Lander (top) and Orbiter in Kennedy Space Center Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility.		Commons
commons	image		Viking 1 Orbiter and Lander attached, ovale bulge at the top is lander		Commons
commons	image		KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Technicians prepared for removal of Viking Lander 1's aeroshell cover in KSC's Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility 2 (SAEF-2) today.		Commons
commons	image		KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Closeup view shows mated Viking Lander (top) and Orbiter in Kennedy Space Center Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility.		Commons
commons	image		KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The mated orbiter and lander for Viking A were encapsulated within a Centaur shroud at Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility 2 (SAEF-2) today.		Commons
commons	image		MarsAtmosphere T Profile Pathfinder		Commons
commons	image		PIA00170-MC-10-LunaePalusRegion-19980605		Commons
commons	image		Viking I Probe Model.		Commons