518
16 Scientific Instrument Technology of Lunar Lander
16.2 Development Status
Up to date, only the United States, the Soviet Union and China had implemented
successful robotic lunar soft landing [3–8].
From May 1966 to Jan. 1968, 7 robotic Surveyor lunar landers were launched
by the United States There were 5 lunar landers achieved successful soft landing,
including Surveyor 1, Surveyor 3, Surveyor5, Surveyor 6 and Surveyor 7. Scientific
instruments such as television cameras, surface samplers, α scattering instrument and
the magnets onboard the lunar lander achieved designed exploration tasks, including
acquiring high definition images, mechanical property of lunar soil, soil compositions
and chemical compound of lunar soil [9–15].
From Jan. 1963 to Dec. 1966, 13 robotic Luna landers were launched by the Soviet
Union. There were 2 lunar landers achieved successful soft landing, including Luna
9 and Luna 13. In Nov. 1970 and Jan. 1973, 2 lunar landers with lunar rovers (Luna
17 and Luna 21) were launched by the Soviet Union and achieved successful lunar
landing. In Sept. 1970, Feb. 1972 and Aug. 1976, 3 robotic lunar landers for lunar
sampling and return (Luna 16, Luna 20 and Luna 24) were launched by the Soviet
Union and achieved successful sampling and return.
In the early lunar soft landing missions of the United States and the Soviet Union,
especially for the first mission, the main objective was to demonstrate engineering
technology and acquire environment parameters for subsequent missions. Due to
technology limitation at that time, there were few types and quantities of instruments on the lunar lander. However, they had achieved designed exploration and
acquired valuable information for engineers and scientists, which provided important
reference for humankind acknowledgement of lunar surface characteristics.
16.2.1 Instruments on Surveyor Lunar Landers and Major
Achievements
From 1966 to 1968, there were 7 robotic lunar landers (Surveyor 1 to Surveyor7)
launched by the United States [9–15].
Surveyor 1 and Surveyor 2 were launched in May and September of 1966 respectively, and the primary mission objectives were to demonstrate technology for landing
softly on the Moon and acquire information of lunar surface. There were TV camera
and Strain gauges on the lunar landers. The TV camera was applied to take image of
lunar surface. There were zoom lenses operated at either end of its range resulting
in 25 mm and 100 mm focal-lengths, resulting in 1 mm highest resolution. The TV
camera was mounted under a mirror that could be moved in azimuth (360°) and
elevation (from +40° above the plane normal to the camera’s axis to –65° below this
plane). Surveyor 1 transmitted 11,350 still photos of the lunar surface to the Earth.
Strain gauges were mounted on each leg shock absorber to record the peak axial
16 Scientific Instrument Technology of Lunar Lander
16.2 Development Status
Up to date, only the United States, the Soviet Union and China had implemented
successful robotic lunar soft landing [3–8].
From May 1966 to Jan. 1968, 7 robotic Surveyor lunar landers were launched
by the United States There were 5 lunar landers achieved successful soft landing,
including Surveyor 1, Surveyor 3, Surveyor5, Surveyor 6 and Surveyor 7. Scientific
instruments such as television cameras, surface samplers, α scattering instrument and
the magnets onboard the lunar lander achieved designed exploration tasks, including
acquiring high definition images, mechanical property of lunar soil, soil compositions
and chemical compound of lunar soil [9–15].
From Jan. 1963 to Dec. 1966, 13 robotic Luna landers were launched by the Soviet
Union. There were 2 lunar landers achieved successful soft landing, including Luna
9 and Luna 13. In Nov. 1970 and Jan. 1973, 2 lunar landers with lunar rovers (Luna
17 and Luna 21) were launched by the Soviet Union and achieved successful lunar
landing. In Sept. 1970, Feb. 1972 and Aug. 1976, 3 robotic lunar landers for lunar
sampling and return (Luna 16, Luna 20 and Luna 24) were launched by the Soviet
Union and achieved successful sampling and return.
In the early lunar soft landing missions of the United States and the Soviet Union,
especially for the first mission, the main objective was to demonstrate engineering
technology and acquire environment parameters for subsequent missions. Due to
technology limitation at that time, there were few types and quantities of instruments on the lunar lander. However, they had achieved designed exploration and
acquired valuable information for engineers and scientists, which provided important
reference for humankind acknowledgement of lunar surface characteristics.
16.2.1 Instruments on Surveyor Lunar Landers and Major
Achievements
From 1966 to 1968, there were 7 robotic lunar landers (Surveyor 1 to Surveyor7)
launched by the United States [9–15].
Surveyor 1 and Surveyor 2 were launched in May and September of 1966 respectively, and the primary mission objectives were to demonstrate technology for landing
softly on the Moon and acquire information of lunar surface. There were TV camera
and Strain gauges on the lunar landers. The TV camera was applied to take image of
lunar surface. There were zoom lenses operated at either end of its range resulting
in 25 mm and 100 mm focal-lengths, resulting in 1 mm highest resolution. The TV
camera was mounted under a mirror that could be moved in azimuth (360°) and
elevation (from +40° above the plane normal to the camera’s axis to –65° below this
plane). Surveyor 1 transmitted 11,350 still photos of the lunar surface to the Earth.
Strain gauges were mounted on each leg shock absorber to record the peak axial