Viking 1
Robotic missionCompleted
First fully successful Mars surface mission
Viking 1 carried an and to Mars, entered orbit on June 19, 1976, and placed its lander safely in Chryse Planitia on July 20. The spacecraft returned orbital mapping, weather, surface-imaging, chemistry, and biology data; its orbiter and lander both operated years beyond their planned lifetimes.
Mission photo archive
Reviewed photographs documenting Viking 1. Every image links to its official NASA catalog record.
Viking 1 official archive image
Official NASA archive imagery explicitly cataloged for Viking 1.
Launch Vehicles
The Titan III-Centaur carrying the Viking 1 Lander lifted off on August 20, 1975. The Viking Lander conducted a detailed scientific investigation of the planet Mars.
First Panoramic View From The Surface Of Mars
First panoramic view by Viking 1 from the surface of Mars. (Top): The out-of-focus spacecraft component toward left center is the housing for the Viking sample arm, which is not yet deployed. Parallel lines in the sky are an artifact and are not real features. However, the change of brightness from horizon towards zenith and towards the right (west) is accurately reflected in this picture, taken in late Martian afternoon. At the horizon to the left is a plateau-like prominence much brighter than the foreground material between the rocks. The horizon features are approximately three kilometers (1.8 miles) away. At left is a collection of fine-grained material reminiscent of sand dunes. The dark sinuous markings in left foreground are of unknown origin. Some unidentified shapes can be perceived on the hilly eminence at the horizon towards the right. Patches of bright sand can be discerned among the rocks and boulders in middle distance. In right fore-ground are two peculiarly shaped rocks which may possibly be ventifacts produced by wind abrasion on Mars. A horizontal cloud stratum can be made out halfway from the horizon to the top of the picture. (Bottom): At left is seen the low gain antenna for receipt of commands from the Earth. The projections on or near the horizon may represent the rims distant impact craters. In right foreground are color charts for Lander camera calibration, a mirror for the Viking magnetic properties experiment and part of a grid on the top of the Lander body. At upper right is the high-gain dish antenna for direct communication between landed space-craft and Earth. Toward the right edge is an array of smooth fine-grained material which shows some hint of ripple structure and may be the beginning of a large dune field off to the right of the picture, which joins with dunes seen at the top left in this 300 panoramic view. Some of the rocks appear to be undercut on one side and partially buried by drifting sand on the other. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00382
Launch record
Explore this mission’s launch, including its vehicle, launch site, payload, and outcome.
Viking Orbiter 1
launch attemptDeep-space attemptcompletedNo reviewed launch image6 connectionsMission dossier
Flight profile, locations, hardware, and outcome in the same reference format used throughout the archive.
Flight profile
- Launch
- August 20, 1975[1]
Places and recovery
Mission record
- Mars orbit insertion
- June 19, 1976[1]
- Surface landing
- July 20, 1976[1]
- Orbiter mission end
- August 7, 1980[1]
- Lander mission end
- November 13, 1982[1]
- Launch vehicle
- Titan IIIE-Centaur[1]
- Mission type
- Robotic Mars and [1]
- Crew members
- 0[1]
- Program
- Viking[1]
- Outcome
- Completed successfully[1]
- Archive classification
- Robotic or uncrewed spaceflight[1]
- Primary objective
- Orbit Mars, land safely, characterize the surface, and search for possible signs of life[1]
Trajectory profile
2 sourcesFollow the mission from departure through its flight environment, destination, and final phase. This sequence is not a scale orbital plot.
Mission locations
2 sourcesDocumented surface, test, landing, and recovery locations. Map links use the cited place name or exact coordinates; AstronautAtlas does not geocode or estimate missing positions.
Landing site
Landing site
Chryse Planitia, Mars
Mission Purpose
2 sources- Operate Viking 1 at Mars while collecting the mission's planned science or engineering measurements.
- Return and preserve the mission's observations, engineering results, and lessons for later exploration work.
- First fully successful Mars landing mission.
- Deliver Viking 1 to Mars and complete the planned arrival, descent, landing, or deployment sequence.
Planned Flight Plan
2 sources- August 20, 1975
Viking 1 begins
Viking 1 was assigned to Operate Viking 1 at Mars while collecting the mission's planned science or engineering measurements.
- Primary phase
Return and preserve the mission's observations, engineering results, and lessons for later exploration work
Robotic spacecraft: Viking 1; Destination: Mars
- Mission objective
First fully successful Mars landing mission
Viking 1 operated within Mars to pursue the program objective.
- Completed
Viking 1 outcome
Viking 1 concluded with the recorded status Completed: First fully successful Mars surface mission.
Mission Timeline
2 sources- August 20, 1975
Viking 1 begins
Viking 1 began Viking 1 to Operate Viking 1 at Mars while collecting the mission's planned science or engineering measurements.
- Operations
Return and preserve the mission's observations, engineering results, and lessons for later exploration work
Robotic spacecraft: Viking 1; Destination: Mars
- Defining result
First fully successful Mars surface mission
Viking 1 carried an and to Mars, entered orbit on June 19, 1976, and placed its lander safely in Chryse Planitia on July 20.
- Completed
Viking 1: Completed
Deliver Viking 1 to Mars and complete the planned arrival, descent, landing, or deployment sequence.
Open operation record