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Surveyor 1

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description Surveyor 1 Overview

Surveyor 1 was a NASA spacecraft that became the first American probe to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, touching down in the Ocean of Storms on June 2, 1966. The lander was part of the Surveyor program, which conducted a series of robotic missions to test landing techniques and surface conditions in preparation for the crewed Apollo missions. Surveyor 1 transmitted over 11,000 images of the lunar surface during its operational period.

help Surveyor 1 FAQ

What did Surveyor 1 prove that NASA still needed to know before Apollo?

Surveyor 1 showed that a spacecraft could make a controlled soft landing on the Moon rather than crash into it. Its 1966 success also indicated that the lunar surface could support a lander, reducing uncertainty for the later Apollo crewed missions.

Where on the Moon did Surveyor 1 land?

Surveyor 1 landed in Oceanus Procellarum, the broad lunar plain known as the Ocean of Storms. NASA selected the area partly because it was relevant to evaluating possible landing terrain for the Apollo program.

How did Surveyor 1 reach the surface without a crew controlling it?

The spacecraft used radar measurements and retrorockets to slow itself during descent. It then completed the final drop on three landing legs, demonstrating technology needed for robotic lunar landings.

Did Surveyor 1 bring Moon rocks back to Earth?

No, Surveyor 1 was a stationary lander and carried no sample-return system. It transmitted thousands of television images from the lunar surface before communications ended in 1967.

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