How VMMEPP is saving Viking History and Inspiring Mars Exploration and Next Generations

We are sharing the history of Mars exploration and preserving a singular pivotal event - the first successful Mars surface mission of the 1970s - with thousands of people around the globe with our small budget, volunteers from around the globe, and hard work - the Viking way. The images above are from work we have led around the country and globe, supporting kids of all ages interested in aerospace and making a difference.

But we need YOUR help, and EVERY dollar counts!

We will have another online Fundraising campaign soon, but until then you can send checks all year to

VMMEPP - 5331 SW Macadam #258-504, Portland, Oregon, 97239

We are a small but effective team, reaching students, teachers, aerospace professionals, space enthusiasts, and artists of all mediums around the globe with resourceful and creative programs and events.

Here are just a few things we have done in the last year and half...

January 21, 2015 - For the first time, over 300 artifacts from Viking became available to people around the world as we (The Viking Mars Missions Education & Preservation Project) VMMEPP launched our online Viking Mission Museum. Users will be able to see a complete set of the Viking Mission Bulletins, a previously unpublished detailed specification for the Viking Meteorology Instrument, a unique White House document required for mission launch, a Lunar Orbiter document by the team that helped NASA Langley win the Viking Project Office, and many other treasures of the museum in just a few clicks at The Viking Mission Museum https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/exhibit/the-viking-mars-mission/RQKiJsUJbOktIw

Planned and led the only Viking Mission Reunion and all day Mars Education Day

In Denver Colorado, July 16th we had over 150 Vikings from around the country come together for an Honor Ceremony.

We brought in students and aerospace leaders to pay tribute to the individuals who worked on Viking in ALL capacities. This event invited people from ALL NASA Centers and contributing Contractors, because Viking was ALL of these people, not just the ones whose names show up on Org charts or in the News. Vikings participated in an all day public education event at Partner venue Wings Over The Rockies Air & Space Museum, supported by our Sponsors including our Founding Sponsor, Lockheed Martin, and education Partners The Space Foundation, and Rocky Mountain AIAA.

We launched our #MarsMaker series with Partners ADX Maker Space and Robot Garden, with Maker events in San Franscisco and Portland. We built two artistic Viking Landers from scrap material with kids 4-15 and 16 and up.

We will be holding these events around the globe beginning in 2017.

We held education outreach events all around the country in museums, Barnes & Noble stores, Libraries, and schools...

Vikings Pat DeMartine, Virgil Young, Al Treder, Claire Reimers, Bill and Sharon Garber, and surprise guest Ray Weldon, flew in from Virginia, Colorado, and Washington, to participate in our OMSI Science Pub series in Portland, Eugene, and Corvallis, Oregon joined by Peggy Newcomb representing John Newcomb, Viking Project Office.

We supported Writers, Documentary Filmmakers, Artists, and Aerospace Professionals and much, much more...

Three Barnes and Nobles around the country participated in 5 different events in the last year. Look for more in 2017!

Peggy Newcomb sharing "A Bunch of Plumbers" the autobiography of John Newcomb about his years working on Lunar Orbiter and Viking. A great read for 12 and up!

We have also curated over 3000 documents and memos from the mission and are working hard to curate and tag them for our online Viking Mission Museum for the world to discover - educate - collaborate.

If you believe this will inspire future generations and is worth sharing, please support us. No other entity will dedicate itself to preserve Viking fully and honestly as we are. For a neutral and inclusive view of the mission, we need your help!

Thank you,

The VMMEPP Team and Vikings around the world