Viking Orion Art Collection

EXPLORERS’ LOUNGE |

EXPLORERS’ LOUNGE | DECKS 7–8 EXPLORATIONS IN SPACE THE VIKING COLLECTION Vikings have always been explorers, both on land and sea. Our ships’ interiors and art honor early explorers, and on Viking Orion, our “Explorations in Space” collection is an homage to humankind’s exploration beyond the confines of planet Earth. Viking Orion is honored to present a look at the people who have made the bold reach into space. From US astronaut Neil Armstrong to Viking Orion’s own godmother, Dr. Anna Fisher, the astronauts who have made this leap represent the human race in all its diversity and at the highest level of talent and courage. Our onboard collection is conceived as a photographic journal through space, its broad range of imagery including astronaut portraits, documents of complex mission activities and equipment, images of remarkable space walks and lunar excursions, surreal landscapes, and mesmerizing views of Earth and its moon. In the Explorers’ Lounge, a selection of vintage photographs produced by NASA showcases both iconic and rare prints presenting an extraordinary and comprehensive photographic journey to the moon and back, captured by National Geographic photographers and the Apollo and Gemini astronauts themselves. While the astronauts’ primary goal was to record their activities, they were inspired by what they witnessed, creating images that transcended documentation. They offered viewers the opportunity to share in the magic and excitement of space travel and experience the beauty of another world. The photographs are now appreciated for their artistic value as well as their historical and scientific significance. The images are the aesthetic artifacts produced by these space explorers turned photographers—the treasures they brought back along with samples of the lunar surface. 6

EARTHRISE, APOLLO 8 | DECEMBER 1968 FIRST US SPACE WALK, ED WHITE’S EVA (EXTRAVEHICULAR ACTIVITY) OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN, GEMINI 4 | JUNE 1965