Viking 2’s trip to Mars

The year 1976 marked the bicentenary of the United States’ founding in 1776. Change in landing site The Viking 2 also confronted a similar scenario as the photographs of the original landing site showed a rough terrain. A different site at Utopia Planitia near the edge of the polar ice cap was selected and after the lander separated from the orbiter, Viking 2 touched down on the Martian surface on September 3, 1976 – a little less than a year after it was launched from Earth. Measuring “Marsquakes” The seismometer aboard the Viking 2 turned out to be a rather important instrument as it measured “Marsquakes” on the Martian surface, enabling us to better understand the crust of the red planet. *** Viking 2 landing site’s first colour image The first colour image on the Martian surface taken by Viking 2 shows a reddish rocky terrain.