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LANDING SITEOceanus Procellarum
LAT-2.47°
LON-43.34°
MOON
Jun 2, 1966
LANDING DATE
1966
7 months
MISSION DURATION
TOTAL
-173 to 127 C
SURFACE TEMP
AT LANDING SITE
270
KG
MASS
3
INSTRUMENTS
SCIENTIFIC PAYLOAD
Surveyor 1 is a lander mission by NASA / JPL on Moon. Landed June 2, 1966. Landing site: Oceanus Procellarum.
ABOUT SURVEYOR 1
Surveyor 1 was the first American spacecraft to achieve a soft landing on the Moon. It landed in Oceanus Procellarum on June 2, 1966, just four months after the Soviet Luna 9. The spacecraft transmitted over 11,000 photographs of the lunar surface, providing crucial data about soil mechanics and surface conditions that directly supported planning for the Apollo crewed landings.
KEY DISCOVERIES
- Confirmed lunar soil bearing strength adequate for Apollo landings
- Detailed surface texture and rock distribution imagery
- Survived lunar night and resumed operations
TECHNOLOGY & FIRSTS
- First American spacecraft to soft-land on the Moon
- Throttleable vernier rockets for powered descent
- Transmitted over 11,000 photographs
SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS (3)
Television camera (vidicon)
Strain gauges on landing legs
Thermal sensors
SPACECRAFT SPECIFICATIONS
Mass270 kg (595 lbs)
PowerSolar panels + Battery
CommunicationsS-band transmitter, 2 omnidirectional antennas, 1 high-gain planar array
Design Life90 days
Landing DateJune 2, 1966
Mission EndJanuary 7, 1967
ProgramSurveyor
SURFACE DATA
Surface Temperature-173 to 127 C
LAUNCH HISTORY
OTHER MOON LANDERS
🚀 LAUNCH MISSION