Surveyor 3 landing

Surveyor 3 · 1967 CE – 1969 CE · The Moon

Surveyor 3 landing — Surveyor 3 · 1967 CE – 1969 CE · The Moon — Recorded expedition route · schematic map

Land and study the lunar soil.

Historical context

Before Apollo could land, robotic Surveyor probes had to prove the surface was firm. Surveyor 3 was later visited by Apollo 12, which brought parts of it home.

The voyage, step by step

  1. A hydrogen rocket to the Moon

    17 April 1967

    On 17 April 1967 an Atlas-Centaur sends the third Surveyor on a direct sixty-five-hour trajectory.

  2. A landing in three touches

    1967 CE

    Its radar loses lock on the bright surface, the engines refuse to shut down, and the craft bounces twice before settling.

  3. Landing in the Ocean of Storms

    1967 CE

    Surveyor 3 comes to rest on the inner slope of a shallow crater and returns more than six thousand images.

  4. Four trenches in the dust

    1967 CE

    A scoop on a hinged arm digs, scrapes and presses the soil, photographing every bite it takes.

  5. Visited by Apollo 12

    19 November 1969

    On 19 November 1969 Conrad and Bean set their lunar module down 155 metres away and walk over to the old lander.

  6. The camera comes home

    1969 CE

    They cut off the television camera, the scoop and lengths of tubing, and carry them back for study on Earth.

Outcome

Landed in the Ocean of Storms and was visited by Apollo 12.

Surveyor 3

NASA lander that touched down on the Moon in 1967 and was later visited by the Apollo 12 crew.

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Sources

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