Martin, James Slattin, Jr.

▪ 2003

      American aeronautical engineer (b. June 21, 1920, Washington, D.C.—d. April 14, 2002, Rising Sun, Md.), was project manager for NASA's Viking 1 and 2 missions, which in 1975 sent the two unmanned orbiter-lander pairs to Mars, from which the first close-up pictures and detailed maps of that planet were relayed back to Earth the following year. He earlier had served as assistant manager of the lunar orbiter project, which helped pave the way for the Moon landings, and for his successes on that project was honoured with NASA's Exceptional Service Medal in 1967.

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