Updated: March 30, 2021 at 4:39 PM

Exploration of Mars through history (54 images)

The United States began the journey to Mars exploration in 1976 when the Viking Lander I successfully landed on the Martian surface. Since then, NASA has made continual efforts to explore and research Mars to eventually have a human mission sent to Mars and on July 30, 2020 launched the Perseverance rover, which landed on Thursday.

Former Astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin Jr., the second man on the moon, stands besides a full-scale model of the Mars Viking I Lander with its digging arm extending to the surface, in Pasadena, Calif., on July 28, 1976. UPI File Photo

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On July 20, 1976, at 8:12 a.m. EDT, NASA received the signal that the Viking I Lander successfully reached the Martian surface. This major milestone represented the first time the United States successfully landed a vehicle on the surface of Mars, collecting an overwhelming amount of data that would soon be used in future NASA missions. Upon touchdown, Viking I took its first picture of the dusty and rocky surface and relayed the historic image back to Earthlings eagerly awaiting its arrival. Viking I, and later Viking II Orbiter, collected an abundance of high-resolution imagery and scientific data, blazing a trail that will one day take humans to Mars. Photo courtesy of NASA

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