Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
21:22:00
Wednesday August 20, 1975
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Viking 1 was the first of two spacecraft (along with Viking 2) sent to Mars as part of NASA's Viking program. On July 20, 1976, it became the second spacecraft to soft-land on Mars, and the first to successfully perform its mission.
Heliocentric Orbit
1 Payload
3,530 kilograms
Agency
Martin MariettaRocket
Height: 48.8m
Payload to Orbit
LEO: 15,400 kg
Liftoff Thrust
12,769 Kilonewtons
Stages
3
Strap-ons
2
87th
Mission
5th
Mission of 1975
79th
Orbital launch attempt