Jim Tillman, Research Professor, Atmospheric Sciences and former Viking Team member, collaborators and volunteers, are preparing the Viking Lander FC3, Flight Lander body #3, for display. These activities are being carried out in collaboration with Prof. Howard Chizeck, Chair. of Electrical Engineering, Prof. Adam Burckner, Chair of Aeronautics/Astronautics Departments, and collaborating Volunteers and supporters, such as Dr. Eckart Schmidt, Mr. Chris Vancil, EE Prof. Emeritus John Schulz, Dr. Don Sandstrom and students.
Five Viking Lander bodies were produced for Viking; three were flight qualified, along with non flight PTC, (Proof Test Capsule), and STB, (Science Test Bed) landers. FC3, was to be the Flight Spare system. To save something on the order of $ 20 to 40 million, FC3, was not completed. Had it been it would have been at the Viking Lander 1 site; (this will be described in the exhibit and background web pages.)