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Viking spacecraft

NASA's Viking spacecraft were two identical Mars missions, each comprising a solar-powered orbiter and a radioisotope-powered lander. The orbiters mapped and imaged Mars while the landers studied the atmosphere and surface and conducted biology experiments after soft landing.

Viking spacecraft
NASA / NASA Kennedy Space Center · NASA-owned asset; the exact NASA Images API record 101-KSC-75P-110 is byte-identical to this photograph of technicians inspecting Viking Lander 2 at Kennedy Space Center and credits NASA. NASA’s current Images and Media Usage Guidelines generally permit factual or informational/editorial use with NASA attribution and without implying NASA endorsement. The image includes identifiable personnel; commercial, promotional, merchandise, or other uses involving people, NASA identifiers, or protected third-party rights may require separate clearance; verify before such use. · Source
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Identity

Aliases
Viking orbiter and landerViking Mars spacecraft
Family Name
Viking
Full Name
Viking spacecraft
Roles
interplanetary_probeorbiterlanderresearch
Status
retired
Type
spacecraft

Details

Description
NASA's Viking spacecraft were two identical Mars missions, each comprising a solar-powered orbiter and a radioisotope-powered lander. The orbiters mapped and imaged Mars while the landers studied the atmosphere and surface and conducted biology experiments after soft landing.
First Flight Year
1,975
Last Flight Year
1,982
Operator
Spacecraft Specs
Reusability
expendable

Links

Official Url
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/viking/

Assets & Meta

Creation Time
July 14, 2026 at 21:50:46 UTC
Updated Time
August 13, 2026 at 22:43:46 UTC
Image
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Search Name
Viking spacecraft Viking orbiter and lander Viking Mars spacecraft