21/07/2026
Congratulations from Quest to the Viking Team....
"Time and time again I repeat, 'It’s incredible.' … We have stood on the surface of Mars."
–Thomas Mutch, Viking lander imaging team leader
After nearly a decade working on the most complex planetary mission to that date, NASA's Viking team were elated 50 years ago today. At 5:12 a.m. Pacific Time, they received word that the Viking 1 lander had successfully touched down on Mars. 40 slow minutes later, the first photo from the surface of the Red planet begins to appear, line by line.
Viking was our pioneering first step in learning how to land on Mars, search for life in our solar system, and coordinate intricate space missions.
From these first moments on the Martian surface 50 years ago, NASA missions have continued expanding on Viking’s foundation, pushing deeper into the mysteries of Mars and laying the groundwork for Earth's first astronauts to join the landers, rovers, and helicopters on the Red Planet.
