A technician checks the soil sampler of the Viking lander. The robotic arm was used to scoop up a sample of the Martian soil, empty it into a hopper on the lander which then routed the sample to each of the three scientific instruments, biology, gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer and water analysis. NASA’s Viking Lander was designed, fabricated, and tested by the Martin Marietta Corp. of Denver, Colorado, under the direction of the Viking Project Office at Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. The Lander drew heavily on the experience gained from the Ranger, Surveyor and the Apollo Programs in the areas of radar, altimeters, facsimile, cameras, soil samplers, landing gear, etc.
Image #: GPN-2000-001650
Date: May 20, 1971
Image Credit: NASA