The sign accompanying the orbiter. It reads
Anatomy of a Planet
Scoping it Out
Hanging overhead is a full-scale engineering model of the Viking Orbiter
spacecraft. In 1976, two of these vehicles arrived at Mars, each with a Viking
Lander spacecraft attached. Their first job as to search the planet with
cameras to find a safe and scientifically interesting spot for the landers to
set down. Afterward, each orbiter spent several years mapping Mars to unlock
its mysteries and pave the way for future missions. The Viking program was
managed by the NASA Langley Research
Center in Hampton.
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