posted 09-05-2011 08:17 AM               

Space Cover #125: Viking missions to Mars

With the 36th anniversary of the Viking launches to Mars, this installment of the Space Cover of the Week will show the variety of covers that can be collected.

Viking 1 was launched on August 20, 1975 and Viking 2 was launched on September 9, 1975. The launch covers shown were cancelled KSC, FL and cacheted with the Official NASA RSC.

After a 10 month coast phase, Viking 1 and 2 entered Mars orbit on June 19 and August 7, 1976. The cover shown was printed and serviced by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Stamp Club under the leadership of Dr. James Rose.

After certifying the proposed landing sites, Viking 1 and 2 landed on July 20 and September 3, 1976.

The two landing covers were cancelled with a slogan cancel that read: Langley-Viking/NASA's First/Lander On Mars. The cancel was used at Pasadena, Ca. and Hampton, Va. The Langley Research Center's Viking Program Office produced a fascinating little cachet featuring the Viking Mars orbiter and Lander with the inscription "Viking Mission to Mars 1975-1976.

posted 09-05-2011 12:26 PM               

The Langley cachet has slanted style while the Pasadena cachet has smaller print with the numbers straight up and down. The Langley cachet was made first.