Surveyor program

The lunar Surveyor Program was initiated and carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of soft landing on the moon. This was done in preparation for the Apollo Program. The program was implemented by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and perform several services. The ability for spacecraft to make midcourse correction was demonstrated and the landers carried instruments to assist with evaluation of the suitability of their landing sites for manned Apollo landings.

There were seven Surveyor missions. Each consisted of a single unmanned spacecraft designed and built by Hughes Aircraft Company.

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Mission/        Launch        Landing      Weight         
   Results                                 at Landing

Surveyor 1    30 May 1966   2 June 1966    596 lbs
       
   11,237 Photos returned.

Surveyor 2    20 Sept 1966  23 Sept 1966   644 lbs 
      
   Mid course correction failure result in tumbling lost of control.
   The spacecraft crashed into Sinus Medii on the moon.

Surveyor 3    17 Apr 1967   20 Apr 1967    625 lbs 
      
   6,315 Photos returned.

Surveyor 4    14 Jul 1967   17 Jul 1967    625 lbs  
     
   Crashed, contact lost 2.5 minutes from touchdown.
                                                          
Surveyor 5    8 Sept 1967   11 Sept 1967   625 lbs

A total of 19,049 images were transmitted to Earth.

The mission experienced a helium leak that could have resulted in failure. An improvised landing sequence was successful and data was received for 2 weeks after the landing. A miniature chemical analysis lab using an alpha backscatter device was used to determine the lunar surface soil consisted of basaltic rock.

Surveyor 6    7 Nov 1967    10 Nov 1967    625 lbs

A total of 30,027 images were transmitted to Earth.

Lunar soil surveys were completed using photographic and alpha backscattering methods. In a further test of space technology Surveyor 6's engines were restarted and burned for 2.5 seconds in the first Lunar liftoff. This created 150 lbs of thrust and lifted the vehicle 12 feet from the Lunar surface. After moving west 8 ft. the spacecraft was once again successfully soft landed. The spacecraft continued functioning as designed.

Surveyor 7    7 Jan 1968    10 Jan 1968    625 lbs

A total of 21,091 were transmitted to Earth.

This was the final spacecraft in the Surveyor program. It landed perfectly, less than two miles from the navigational target. The alpha backscattering instrument failed to deploy properly. Mission controllers successfully used the surface soil sampler claw to push the alpha backscattering instrument into the proper position to conduct its experiments. Battery damage was suffered in the first lunar night and transmission contact was subsequently sporadic. The spacecraft was last in contact on 20 Feb 1968.