Viking aniversary

NASA is marking the annivesary of the Viking landers.

The Viking 1 and 2 missions to Mars, each consisting of an orbiter and a lander, and became the first space probes to obtain high resolution images of the Martian surface;characterize the structure and composition of the atmosphere and surface; and conducton-the-spot biological tests for life on another planet.

Viking 1 was launched Aug. 20, 1975, and arrived at Mars on June 19, 1976. On July 20,1976, the Viking 1 lander separated from the orbiter and touched down at ChrysePlanitia. Viking 2 was launched Sept. 9, 1975, and entered Mars orbit Aug. 7, 1976. The Viking 2 lander touched down at Utopia Planitia on Sept. 3, 1976.