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Credit & Copyright: The Surveyor Project,
NASA
Explanation:
This panorama of the cratered lunar surface was constructed from
images returned by the
US Surveyor 6 lander.
Surveyor 6 was not the
first spacecraft to accomplish a soft landing
on the Moon ... but it was
the first to land and then lift off again!
After touching down near the center
of the Moon's nearside
in November of 1967, NASA controllers
commanded the spacecraft to hop.
Briefly firing its rocket engine
and lifting itself some 4 meters above the surface,
the Surveyor moved about 2.5 meters
to one side before setting down again.
The hopping success of Surveyor 6
essentially marked the completion of
the Surveyor series main mission -
to determine if the lunar terrain was safe for
the planned Apollo landings.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Surveyor
Publications with words: Surveyor
See also: