The Impact of the Viking Entry, Descent, and Landing Legacy on Future Mars Exploration

This article outlines engineering challenges that were involved in the design innovations required to successfully deliver not one but two landers for Viking. The mission faced unique challenges such as dealing with Mars’ thin atmosphere, managing entry heating, soft landing, and adhering to launch payload constraints. These necessitated the development of new technologies and designs, including a bio-shield, an aerodynamic aeroshell, a thermal protection system, a supersonic parachute, and a terminal descent propulsion system. The developments took no more than 8 years, but their legacy has lasted far longer and has enabled Mars lander mission successes for five decades. With the emerging emphasis on human missions to Mars, the challenges of landing larger payloads will require new innovations and approaches to entry, descent, and landing, which will represent a grand new challenge for scientists and engineers.