50 years ago, NASA sent 2 spacecraft to search for life on Mars – the Viking missions’ findings are still discussed today

NASA's Viking landers were the first spacecraft to successfully touch down on the surface of Mars. NASA/JPL-Caltech via AP

Finding life beyond the Earth would be a major scientific discovery with significant implications for all areas of science and human thought. Yet, only one direct search for extraterrestrial life has ever been conducted.

The Viking missions landed on the Martian surface using parachutes. This diagram shows each stage the spacecraft went through as they landed. NASA