NASA’s Viking 1 Mars landing
on this day in
1976
, a milestone in space exploration:
On This Day: Viking 1 Lands on Mars
On
July 20, 1976
, NASA’s Viking 1 became the
first spacecraft to land successfully on Mars
and send back clear images.
A Historic Touchdown
Viking 1 landed in
Chryse Planitia
, beginning a new era in planetary science and exploration of the Red Planet.
First Clear Images from Mars
Shortly after landing, Viking 1 sent
the first-ever clear photos from the Martian surface
, revealing a dusty, rocky landscape.