Viking 2
Robotic missionCompleted
Second Viking orbiter and Mars lander
Viking 2 followed its twin to Mars, entered orbit on August 7, 1976, and landed in Utopia Planitia on September 3. Its expanded global mapping while the studied a colder, rockier surface site, extending the Viking program's weather, imaging, chemistry, and biology investigation.
Mission photo archive
Reviewed photographs documenting Viking 2. Every image links to its official NASA catalog record.
Viking 2 official archive image
Official NASA archive imagery explicitly cataloged for Viking 2.
KSC-75p-110
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians inspect the Viking Lander 2 in Kennedy's Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility 1. The first Viking is scheduled for launch from Launch Complex 41 no earlier than Aug. 11, 1975, the second, no earlier than Aug. 21, 1975. Once in orbit around Mars, the lander will detach and descend to the planet's surface to conduct further investigation. The Viking's 440-million-mile journey to the Red Planet will take about 11 months. Photo Credit: NASA
Viking 2's first picture on the surface of Mars
NASA Photojournal identifies PIA00396 as Viking 2's first surface image, acquired within minutes of touchdown at Utopia Planitia on September 3, 1976.
Launch record
Explore this mission’s launch, including its vehicle, launch site, payload, and outcome.
Viking Orbiter 2
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
- September 9, 1975[1]
Places and recovery
Mission record
- Mars orbit insertion
- August 7, 1976[1]
- Surface landing
- September 3, 1976[1]
- Orbiter mission end
- July 24, 1978[1]
- Lander mission end
- April 12, 1980[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
- Extend Viking orbital mapping and surface science at a second Mars landing site[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
Utopia Planitia, Mars
Mission Purpose
2 sources- Operate Viking 2 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.
- Second Viking and mission.
- Deliver Viking 2 to Mars and complete the planned arrival, descent, landing, or deployment sequence.
Planned Flight Plan
2 sources- September 9, 1975
Viking 2 begins
Viking 2 was assigned to Operate Viking 2 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 2; Destination: Mars
- Mission objective
Second Viking and mission
Viking 2 operated within Mars to pursue the program objective.
- Completed
Viking 2 outcome
Viking 2 concluded with the recorded status Completed: Second Viking orbiter and Mars lander.
Mission Timeline
2 sources- September 9, 1975
Viking 2 begins
Viking 2 began Viking 2 to Operate Viking 2 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 2; Destination: Mars
- Defining result
Second Viking and Mars
Viking 2 followed its twin to Mars, entered orbit on August 7, 1976, and landed in Utopia Planitia on September 3.
- Completed
Viking 2: Completed
Deliver Viking 2 to Mars and complete the planned arrival, descent, landing, or deployment sequence.
Open operation record