Uncrewed spacecraftMission concluded
Viking 2
Mars orbiter and lander spacecraft
Vehicle and mission dossier
Viking 2
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.
Flight profile
- Launch
- September 9, 1975
Places and recovery
Vehicle record
- Manufacturer
- Martin Marietta
- Configuration
- Mars orbiter and lander
- Mars orbit insertion
- August 7, 1976
- Surface landing
- September 3, 1976
- Launch vehicle
- Titan IIIE-Centaur
- Status
- Mission completed; lander silent on Mars
- Orbiter mission end
- July 24, 1978
- Lander mission end
- April 12, 1980
- Destination
- Mars
- Mission type
- Robotic Mars orbiter and lander
- Crew members
- 0
- Program
- Viking
- Outcome
- Completed successfully
- Archive classification
- Robotic or uncrewed spaceflight
- Primary objective
- Extend Viking orbital mapping and surface science at a second Mars landing site
Flight objectives
- 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.
Flight timeline
- September 9, 1975Viking 2 beginsViking 2 began Viking 2 to Operate Viking 2 at Mars while collecting the mission's planned science or engineering measurements.
- OperationsReturn and preserve the mission's observations, engineering results, and lessons for later exploration workRobotic spacecraft: Viking 2; Destination: Mars
- Defining resultSecond Viking and Mars Viking 2 followed its twin to Mars, entered orbit on August 7, 1976, and landed in Utopia Planitia on September 3.
- CompletedViking 2: CompletedDeliver Viking 2 to Mars and complete the planned arrival, descent, landing, or deployment sequence.