Viking 1 - USA Mars Orbiter/Lander - 3,399 kg was launched on August 20, 1975.
Both Viking 1 and 2 were designed after the Mariner spacecraft, and consisted of an orbiter (900 kg) and lander (600 kg).
Viking 1 went into orbit about Mars on June 19, 1976. The lander touched down on July 20, 1976 on the western slopes of Chryse Planitia.
Both landers had experiments to search for Martian micro-organism. The results of these experiments are still being debated. The landers provided detailed color panoramic views of the Martian terrain. They also monitored the Martian weather. The orbiters mapped the planet's surface, acquiring over 52,000 images.
The Viking 1 orbiter was deactivate on August 7, 1980 when it ran out of altitude-control propellant.
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