A space history mystery: What happened to the Viking arm used 50 years ago?

The Viking 1 lander used its robotic arm to perform the first Martian soil sample analysis , collecting samples for biological experiments that involved scooping soil and testing it with nutrient solutions tagged with radioactive carbon-14 . The robotic arm operated successfully until the lander was shut down on November 11, 1982, after receiving a faulty command from Earth . The article likely explores the current location and status of this historic robotic arm or its artifacts 50 years after the mission's groundbreaking achievements.

Source: Ars Technica | 2026-07-01