50 Years on Mars -- A Viking Legacy

Name: 50 Years on Mars -- A Viking Legacy
Start: 2026-02-18T18:30:00-08:00
End: 2026-02-18T20:30:00-08:00
Location: Museum of Flight

Schedule

Wed Feb 18 2026 at 06:30 pm to 08:30 pm

UTC-08:00

Location

Museum of Flight | Seattle, WA

Join us for stories, surprises and important lessons about the first U.S. spacecraft to land on Mars.
About this Event

50 Years on Mars - A Viking Legacy

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 | 6:30-8:30 pm (doors open at 6 pm)

Museum of Flight, Seattle

FREE with registration

On July 20, 1976, NASA’s Viking 1 landed on Mars, making it the first U.S. spacecraft to successfully land on the red planet. Part of the historic Viking project, the Lander returned thousands of images, changing everything scientists thought about Mars. The program was successful beyond imagination, with unexpected discoveries and the creation of methods and models still used!

But history is more than scientific achievements, it is also the human and personal moments. As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of this amazing accomplishment, join us for stories, surprises and important lessons, and learn about the unique archive that preserves this body of work. Presented by Rachel Tillman, Founder/Director of The Viking Mars Missions Education & Preservation Project.