Object Details
Manufacturer
Hughes Aircraft Co.
Summary
This engineering mock-up of the Surveyor spacecraft consists of an authentic structure with simulated wood instrumentation. This mock up closely resembles the Surveyor III spacecraft, visited by the Apollo 12 astronauts on the Moon. This Surveyor III mockup was on loan to CBS News in New York during the Apollo 12 mission. Television broadcasts from the Moon during this mission ended when astronaut Alan Bean accidentally pointed the television camera into the sun, burning out the lens. Since voice communication was still available CBS placed two actors in space suits next to this artifact to simulate the activities on the lunar surface. Five Surveyor spacecraft successfully soft landed on the Moon during the period from May 30, 1966 to January 9, 1968, in support of the Apollo program.
This object was transferred from NASA.
Long Description
Surveyor (1966-1968)
The Surveyor probes were the first U.S. spacecraft to land safely on the Moon. The main objectives of the Surveyors were to obtain close-up images of the lunar surface and to determine if the terrain was safe for manned landings. Each Surveyor was equipped with a television camera. In addition, Surveyors 3 and 7 each carried a soil mechanics surface sampler scoop which dug trenches and was used for soil mechanics tests and Surveyors 5, 6, and 7 had magnets attached to the footpads and an alpha scattering instrument for chemical analysis of the lunar material. The following Surveyor missions took place.
Surveyor 1
Launched 30 May 1966
Landed 02 June 1966, 06:17:37 UT
Latitude 2.45 S, Longitude 316.79 E - Flamsteed P
Surveyor 2
Launched 20 September 1966
Crashed on Moon 22 September 1966
Vernier engine failed to ignite - southeast of Copernicus Crater
Surveyor 3
Launched 17 April 1967
Landed 20 April 1967, 00:04:53 UT
Latitude 2.94 S, Longitude 336.66 E - Oceanus Procellarum (Ocean of Storms)
Surveyor 4
Launched 14 July 1967
Radio contact lost 17 July 1967
2.5 minutes from touchdown - Sinus Medii
Surveyor 5
Launched 08 September 1967
Landed 11 September 1967, 00:46:44 UT
Latitude 1.41 N, Longitude 23.18 E - Mare Tranquillitatus (Sea of Tranquility)
Surveyor 6
Launched 07 November 1967
Landed 10 November 1967, 01:01:06 UT
Latitude 0.46 N, Longitude 358.63 E - Sinus Medii
Surveyor 7
Launched 07 January 1968
Landed 10 January 1968, 01:05:36 UT
Latitude 41.01 S, Longitude 348.59 E - Tycho North Rim
Credit Line
Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Inventory Number
A19680457000
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
SPACECRAFT-Uncrewed-Test Vehicles
Materials
Aluminum, wood, paint, steel, mylar (Polyester), adhesive, Plastic, inconel, brass
Dimensions
Storage: 228.6 x 215.9cm, 997.9kg, 238.8cm (90 x 85 in., 2200lb., 94 in.)
Country of Origin
United States of America
See more items in
National Air and Space Museum Collection
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nasm_A19680457000