Smith, Ronald L., 1952-

Project Viking was composed of two spacecraft, Viking 1 and Viking 2, each consisting of an orbiter and a lander. The two Vikings were launched in August and September 1975. The Landers touched down on the surface of Mars in July and August 1976. The Viking orbiters and landers continued sending back data until 1982.

Project Voyager was a dual spacecraft long-range mission that conducted a "Grand Tour" of the outer planets. The project was originally called "Mariner Jupiter/Saturn 1977" when it was approved in 1972, but renamed "Voyager" shortly before the first launch date in 1977. The two Voyager spacecraft were launched in August and September 1977. Voyager 1 made its closest encounter with Jupiter on March 5, 1979, and with Saturn on November 13, 1980. Voyager 2 made its closest encounter with Jupiter on July 9, 1979, and with Saturn on August 26, 1981. Voyager 2 then headed for the outer planets of Uranus and Neptune, reaching Uranus on January 24, 1986 and Neptune on August 25, 1989. Both Voyager spacecraft continue to send back scientific telemetry, and will continue doing so until power runs out around 2017.

Project Galileo, a Jupiter orbiter and atmospheric probe, was initiated in November 1977. The project was originally called Jupiter Orbiter with Probe (JOP), but quickly christened Project Galileo. Following several postponements involving the Space Shuttle, the launch of Galileo, originally scheduled for 1982 was rescheduled for 1986. The explosion of the Shuttle Challenger in January 1986 further postponed the launching of Galileo. Galileo was ultimately launched by the Shuttle Atlantis in October 1989. Galileo missed the launch window for a direct flight to Jupiter, and was forced to fly a trajectory involving gravity-assisted flybys of Venus once and Earth twice, before arriving at Jupiter on December 7, 1995. The Galileo probe was ejected into Jupiter's atmosphere, and sent back data for nearly an hour before burning up. The Galileo orbiter continues orbiting Jupiter, exploring its moons, and sending back data.

From the description of Flight Project Pyrotechnics Subsection Document Collection, 1971-1985. (Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives). WorldCat record id: 733100039