Era · 1962–1989

The Golden Age of Planetary Exploration

The decades in which robotic probes first reached every planet — Mariner, Pioneer, Viking, and the two Voyagers that toured the outer Solar System and reached its edge.

In brief

The first robotic reconnaissance of the planets.

Events of this era

1976First Successful Mars Landing
Viking 1 was the first spacecraft to land and operate successfully on the surface of Mars.
20 July 1976Viking 1 Lands on Mars
Viking 1 becomes the first spacecraft to operate successfully on the surface of Mars, returning the first pictures from the Martian ground and searching for life.
1977Launch of the Voyagers
Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 launch on a grand tour of the outer Solar System, exploiting a rare planetary alignment to visit the giant planets.
25 August 1989Voyager 2 Flies Past Neptune
Voyager 2 sweeps past Neptune, the first and only spacecraft to visit the ice giant, completing the reconnaissance of every planet from Mercury to Neptune.

Knowledge connections

Sources

Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.

NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.
NASA JPLJet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics
Orbital data, ephemerides, and small-body parameters for planets, asteroids, and comets.

Loading…