MASSIVE OVERVIEW OF THE VIKING PROGRAM.

NASA’s Viking Program sent two identical space probes, Viking 1 and Viking 2 to Mars. Each spacecraft consisted of two main parts: a lander, which studied and photographed Mars from the surface; and an orbiter which photographed Mars from Martian orbit a🌄s and also served as a communication relay for the lander. The data collected by the two Viking space probes was instrumental in forming most of the knowledge of Mars through the late 1990s and early 2000s.

This massive lot is mainly comprised of photographs from the two Viking missions, but also with some material from other space probes: Mariner 10 (including a number of photographs of the Mariner 10 test model at JPL - 🃏some with holoꦰgraph notation pointing out the components), Voyager (with photographs of Saturn and Jupiter) and Pioneer. The Viking photographs include both Orbiter and Lander images and provide a thorough overview of the mission.

Highlights include:

The first photograph ever taken on the surface of Mars, just minutes after the successful landing of the Viking 1 Lander. This was on the 7th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing - July 20, 1976. The image provides a close view of the Martian ⛄surface with both rocks and fine material visible. The Lander's footpad 3 is partially visible in the right side of the image.

Two examples of the first 🐎color photograph taken by the Viking 1 Lander. This was taken just a day after the vehicle's successful landing and depicts the orange-red rocky Martian surface at about noon local t🦹ime. The sky also has a reddish cast that bolsters the moniker the "Red Planet."