Viking Mars Program (U.S.)

Henry W. Norris was the Viking Orbiter manager; Kermit S. Watkins, deputy manager; Allen E. Wolfe, spacecraft system manager; and Dr. Conway W. Snyder, Viking Orbiter scientist. Norris was JPL's spacecraft system manager for the Mariner Mars l969 Project. He was named to the Viking position after the successful launch of Mariner VI last February and Mariner VII in March. (from JPL Press Release dated April 17, 1969 http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/releases/60s/release_1969_0512.html accessed on June 6, 2006.).

Viking was the culmination of a series of missions to explore the planet Mars; they began in 1964 with Mariner 4, and continued with the Mariner 6 and 7 flybys in 1969, and the Mariner 9 orbital mission in 1971 and 1972.

Viking was designed to orbit Mars and to land and operate on the planet's surface. Two identical spacecraft, each consisting of a lander and an orbiter, were built.

NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, had management responsibility for the Viking project from its inception in 1968 until April 1, 1978, when the Jet Propulsion Laboratory assumed the task. Martin Marietta Aerospace in Denver, Colorado, developed the landers. NASA's Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, had responsibility for the Titan-Centaur launch vehicles. JPL's initial assignment was development of the orbiters, tracking and data acquisition, and the Mission Control and Computing Center. (From NASA Facts - Viking Mission to Mars, http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/fact_sheets/viking.pdf, accessed on June 16, 2006).

From the description of Viking Project Correspondence Records, 1968-1976. (Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives). WorldCat record id: 733102568

Viking was the culmination of a series of missions to explore the planet Mars; they began in 1964 with Mariner 4, and continued with the Mariner 6 and 7 flybys in 1969, and the Mariner 9 orbital mission in 1971 and 1972.

Viking was designed to orbit Mars and to land and operate on the planet's surface. Two identical spacecraft, each consisting of a lander and an orbiter, were built.

NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, had management responsibility for the Viking project from its inception in 1968 until April 1, 1978, when the Jet Propulsion Laboratory assumed the task. Martin Marietta Aerospace in Denver, Colorado, developed the Landers. NASA's Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, had responsibility for the Titan- Centaur launch vehicles. JPL's initial assignment was development of the orbiters, tracking and data acquisition, and the Mission Control and Computing Center. (From NASA Facts - Viking Mission to Mars, http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/fact_sheets/viking.pdf, accessed on June 16, 2006).

From the description of Viking 75 Project Incoming Datafax Transmittals 1971-1972 and 1974-1975; Viking 75 Project Outgoing Datafax Transmittals, 1968-1971 and 1975-1976; and Viking 75 Project Incoming and Outgoing Datafax Transmittal Log Books. (Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives). WorldCat record id: 733102573

Viking was the culmination of a series of missions to explore the planet Mars; they began in 1964 with Mariner 4, and continued with the Mariner 6 and 7 flybys in 1969, and the Mariner 9 orbital mission in 1971 and 1972.

Viking was designed to orbit Mars and to land and operate on the planet's surface. Two identical spacecraft, each consisting of a lander and an orbiter, were built.

NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, had management responsibility for the Viking project from its inception in 1968 until April 1, 1978, when the Jet Propulsion Laboratory assumed the task. Martin Marietta Aerospace in Denver, Colorado, developed the landers. NASA's Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, had responsibility for the Titan-Centaur launch vehicles. JPL's initial assignment was development of the orbiters, tracking and data acquisition, and the Mission Control and Computing Center. (From NASA Facts - Viking Mission to Mars, http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/fact_sheets/viking.pdf, accessed on June 16, 2006).

From the description of Viking Project Records, 1969-1977. (Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives). WorldCat record id: 733102571