Viking 1:
Overview
The Viking
Mars mission was
performed by two spacecraft, 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. The orbiters
then began taking pictures of the Martian surface, from which a landing site was selected.
The landers then separated from the orbiters and soft landed. The orbiters continued
imaging and, between Viking 1 and Viking 2, imaged the entire planet at what was then
high resolution. The orbiters also conducted atmospheric water vapor measurements and
infrared thermal mapping. The Viking 1 orbiter 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.
Visit the Viking 1 Website
