June 22, 1976 - Soviet military space station Salyut 5 is launched, remaining in orbit until August 8, 1977.

July 20, 1976 - Pictures of the Martian surface are taken by Viking 1, the first U.S. attempt to soft land a spacecraft on another planet.

September 3, 1976 - Viking 2 lands on Mars on the Plain of Utopia, where it discovered water frost.