Viking 2 Orbiter
The Viking 2 orbiter carried its lander to Mars and entered orbit on August 7, 1976. Orbital imaging and atmospheric observations supported the selection and interpretation of the Utopia Planitia landing site, while the orbiter also relayed lander measurements to Earth. Its extended reconnaissance added views of the Martian surface, atmosphere, and moons to the Viking dataset. Orbiter operations ended on July 25, 1978. The Viking 2 lander remained active afterward, so the end of the orbiter's service did not mark the end of the combined mission's surface observations.
Identity
- Name
- Viking 2 Orbiter
- Status
- retired
Details
- Description
- The Viking 2 orbiter carried its lander to Mars and entered orbit on August 7, 1976. Orbital imaging and atmospheric observations supported the selection and interpretation of the Utopia Planitia landing site, while the orbiter also relayed lander measurements to Earth. Its extended reconnaissance added views of the Martian surface, atmosphere, and moons to the Viking dataset. Orbiter operations ended on July 25, 1978. The Viking 2 lander remained active afterward, so the end of the orbiter's service did not mark the end of the combined mission's surface observations.
- First Flight Date
- 1975-09-09
- Programs
- Vehicle Family
Links
- Official Url
- https://science.nasa.gov/mission/viking/
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- August 11, 2026 at 23:49:20 UTC
- Updated Time
- October 29, 2026 at 15:34:17 UTC