Object Details
Manufacturer
Thiokol Chemical Corporation
Summary
This is a cutaway mockup of the solid fuel Retro Motor for the Surveyor spacecraft, the first U.S. spacecraft to soft-land on the surface of the Moon. The Retro was a high performance motor to decelerate the Surveyor spacecraft as it approached the lunar surface.
The Retro was developed by the Elkton, Maryland, Division of the Thiokol Chemical Corporation. The average thrust was about 8,400 pounds. Surveyor 1 was launched in 1966 and Surveyor 7, the last in the series, was launched 1968. Images and data gathered by the Surveyors aided the coming manned Apollo lunar exploration missions. This model was donated to the Smithsonian in 1976 by Thiokol.
Credit Line
Thiokol Chemical Corporation, Elkton, Md. Division
Inventory Number
A19761827000
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
PROPULSION-Rocket Engines
Materials
Non-Magnetic White Metal
Phenolic Resin
Ferrous Alloy
Paint
Plastic
Adhesive
Dimensions
3-D: 85.1 × 88.9 × 149.9cm, 211.4kg (2 ft. 9 1/2 in. × 2 ft. 11 in. × 4 ft. 11 in., 466lb.)
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_A19761827000