The robot called Viking I landed on the Red Planet on 20 July 1976. It was the first robot to explore Mars. Viking I and its successors collected the very first on the spot information about the surface of the planet, including information that would have allowed scientists to conclude that there was life on the planet. The robot found no clear evidence of life, but returned detailed pictures and data on the composition of the soil to ground control. Viking I was the robot that had spent most time, 2307 on Mars, before Opportunity Rover took the lead on 19 May 2010.