Viking Program
Viking 1
Vehicle: Titan IIIE | Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Spacecraft Architecture & Subsystem Engineering
A breakdown of the electrical power, computing payload, communication networks, and vehicle dynamics of Viking 1.
⚡ Electrical Power Subsystem
Two SNAP-19 Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) fueled by Plutonium-238, augmented by nickel-cadmium batteries.
💾 Flight Command Computer
Dual guidance control computers with 18,000 words of memory, handling automatic surface operations.
📡 Communications Antenna
High-gain steerable dish antenna for direct Earth communications, and a UHF link to relay data via the Viking orbiters.
⚖️ Mass and Propulsion
576 kg (Surface Lander weight).