A Titan-Centaur rocket carrying the Viking 1 spacecraft launches from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Aug. 20, 1975. Viking 1 touched down on the red planet on July 20, 1976, becoming the first truly successful landing on Mars. Viking 1 was the first of a pair of complex deep space probes that were designed to reach Mars and to collect evidence on the possibility on life on Mars.
NASA’s exploration of Mars continues, with rovers exploring the planet’s surface and spacecraft studying from orbit. The agency’s Artemis missions will also lay the groundwork for the first crewed missions to Mars.
Learn more about Viking 1 and see the first photo it took upon landing.
Image credit: NASA
一枚搭载海盗1号探测器的大力神3号E运载火箭，于1975年8月20日从卡纳维拉尔角空军基地41号发射台升空。1976年7月20日，海盗1号成功降落在这颗红色星球上，成为首个真正意义上在火星实现成功着陆的探测器。它是两台深空复杂探测器中的第一台，任务目标是抵达火星并搜集有关火星上可能存在生命的证据。
NASA对火星的探索从未停歇，如今仍有火星车在其表面进行考察，轨道探测器则在高空进行观测。同时，NASA的阿尔忒弥斯计划也将在月球奠定基础，逐步为首次载人火星任务铺平道路。
点击了解更多关于海盗1号的信息，并查看它着陆火星后拍摄的首张影像。
影像来源: NASA
