View source for Thomas Mutch Memorial Station

[[Image:Viking hirise.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Orbital image of the '''Thomas Mutch Memorial Station''' in western [[Chryse Planitia]] as viewed by the HiRISE instrument onboard the [[Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter]] in Dec 2006.]] 

The '''Thomas Mutch Memorial Station''' is the site of the [[GFDL:Viking 1|Viking 1]] lander that remains in western [[Chryse Planitia]] since its touchdown on July 20, 1976. 

The site is named after Thomas Mutch (1931-1980) an American geologist and planetary scientist. He was head of the Viking photography team who had the first glimpse at the images being relayed to Earth from Mars from [[GFDL:Viking 1|Viking 1]]. 

:"''This is just an incredible scene. It looks safe and very interesting.''" - Thomas Mutch on reviewing the first images from Mars.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_A._Mutch Wikipedia article on Thomas A. Mutch.]</ref> 

A Viking lander model at the [[Smithsonian Institution]] has a plaque beside it commemorating the naming of the '''Thomas Mutch Memorial Station''' in 1982, and it is intended that the plaque will be relocated to the Chryse Planitia landing site when possible. 

==Further reading== 
*[http://www.geo.brown.edu/Colloquia/Mutch.htm The Thomas A. Mutch lecture series at Brown University.] 
*[http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/Databases/Encyclopedia/search.php?serial=M0470 A short biography.] 

==References== 
<references/> 

[[category:Lander Missions]]