A Viking On Mars

It was 40 ago, on July 20, 1976, that NASA's Viking 1 lander touched down on Mars, becoming the first U.S. spacecraft to successfully land on the planet. On that day, the 1,270-pound vehicle separated from its orbiter and began to descend through the Martian atmosphere traveling at around 500 mph. Its speed was slowed by the deployment of a parachute and the firing of three main retrorocket engines. The vehicle arrived safely at its landing site—a rock-strewn plain in the planet’s northern equatorial region—in the afternoon, Mars local time. The Viking 1 lander carried a number of science instruments to examine the composition of Mars’ atmosphere and surface, including a robotic arm that could scoop up soil samples. During its more than six years in operation, scientists collected hundreds of high-resolution images and important data that would pave the way for future Mars missions. Explore the images to learn more.