Launching a few weeks behind its twin Viking 1, Viking 2 followed suit and flew as an orbiter-lander pair to enter Mars orbit. The landers then separated from the orbiters and descended to the planet's surface.

---

Size: 3009px × 1426px
Photo credit: © Space collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: acceleration, administration, aeronautics, agency, american, beginning, blast, exploration, explore, horizontal, journey, launch, launching, lift, national, probes, rocket, science, sky, space, start, technology, viking, woosh