Timeline Tuesday 20 July 1976

Events on Tuesday 20 July 1976 2

• 1976 Viking 1 lands on Mars NASA probe becomes first American spacecraft to land on Mars NASA's Viking 1 lander touched down on the surface of Mars on 20 July 1976, becoming the first American spacecraft to successfully land on another planet. It transmitted the first close-up photographs from the Martian surface and conducted experiments searching for signs of life. The lander operated for over six years before contact was lost.
• 1976 Viking 1 lands on Mars First successful Mars landing NASA's Viking 1 spacecraft successfully landed on Mars on July 20, 1976 — the seventh anniversary of the Moon landing — becoming the first spacecraft to successfully operate on the Martian surface.