Viking 2
Space orbiter and lander sent to Mars / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article is about the mission to Mars. For other uses, see Viking Two.
The Viking 2 mission was part of the American Viking program to Mars, and consisted of an orbiter and a lander essentially identical to that of the Viking 1 mission.[1] Viking 2 was operational on Mars for 1281 sols (1,316 days; 3 years, 221 days). The Viking 2 lander operated on the surface for 1,316 days, or 1281 sols, and was turned off on April 12, 1980, when its batteries failed. The orbiter worked until July 25, 1978,[1] returning almost 16,000 images in 706 orbits around Mars.[5]
Quick Facts Mission type, Operator ...
Mission type | Orbiter and Lander |
---|---|
Operator | NASA |
COSPAR ID | |
SATCAT no. |
|
Website | Viking Project Information |
Mission duration | Orbiter: 1050 days (1022 sol)[1] Lander: 1316 days (1281 sol)[1] Launch to last contact: 1,676 days |
Spacecraft properties | |
Manufacturer | Orbiter: JPL Lander: Martin Marietta |
Launch mass | 3,530 kg[lower-alpha 1] |
Dry mass | Orbiter: 883 kg (1,947 lb) Lander: 572 kg (1,261 lb)[2] |
Power | Orbiter: 620 W Lander: 70 W |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 18:39, September 9, 1975 (UTC) (1975-09-09T18:39Z)[1][3] |
Rocket | Titan IIIE with Centaur upper stage |
Launch site | LC-41, Cape Canaveral |
End of mission | |
Last contact | April 12, 1980 (1980-04-12)[4] |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Areocentric |
Mars orbiter | |
Spacecraft component | Viking 2 Orbiter |
Orbital insertion | August 7, 1976[1][3] |
Orbital parameters | |
Periareion altitude | 302 km (188 mi) |
Apoareion altitude | 33,176 km (20,615 mi) |
Inclination | 80.5° |
Mars lander | |
Spacecraft component | Viking 2 Lander |
Landing date | September 3, 1976 22:37:50 UTC (MSD 36500 00:13 AMT)[1] |
Landing site | 47.64°N 225.71°W / 47.64; -225.71 (Viking 2 lander)[1] |
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