This film from Hughes Aircraft, “Surveyor Spacecraft Landing Tests” dates to the early 1960s. Surveyor was initiated by NASA to prepare for the Apollo program, with the first successful mission, Surveyor 1, launched on May 30, 1966. The program continued until January 1968, during which seven robotic spacecraft were sent to the Moon. Surveyor marked a significant milestone in demonstrating the feasibility of soft lunar landings. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) selected Hughes in 1961 to develop the spacecraft system for the program. Hughes was responsible for designing and building the Surveyor probes, which were equipped with advanced features like retro rockets, crushable footpads, and shock absorbers to ensure soft landings on the Moon.
00:00: The film documents tests conducted by Hughes using a quarter-scale model of the Surveyor spacecraft. Springs, dampers, and crushable materials were scaled dynamically to replicate the actual vehicle’s motion on the Moon.
0:54-1:13: The model’s foot pads were designed for firm footing, and the crushable blocks on the body were made of aluminum honeycomb, identical to the material proposed for the actual spacecraft.
1:21-1:44: Prior to testing, weights were adjusted for accurate center of gravity and scaled moment of inertia. Two accelerometers measured vertical deceleration and pitch acceleration during landing.
2:12-2:37: High-speed cameras captured the final stages of each test drop from various angles, including side, front, and overhead views, to observe impact and rotation.
2:51-3:05: Drops simulated extreme touchdown conditions, with a contact drum timer initiating each test sequence.
3:13-3:41: The first drop onto a wooden platform, with an impact velocity of 25 ft/sec, showed slight rebound due to the platform. A subsequent drop onto concrete eliminated rebound, confirming the platform’s role.
4:40-5:22: The third drop onto a 15° slope, landing on two legs first, demonstrated the crushable blocks’ energy absorption. A repeat test landing on one leg highlighted kickback of the downhill legs, crucial for stability.
5:49-6:04: A drop onto a surface with simulated 10 cm stones showed the honeycomb material and foot pads adapting to the uneven terrain while maintaining stability.
7:32-7:50: A test on a 30° slope with 15 ft/sec velocity demonstrated that the model remained stable without toppling.
8:15-8:48: A test with lateral and vertical velocities on a 15° rocky slope replicated upper-limit impact conditions. The model showed excellent stability and minimal rotation.
9:23-9:50: The final drop, onto a 15° sand-covered slope with 25 ft/sec velocity, demonstrated the foot pads’ resistance to over-penetrating soft sand.
10:09-10:17: Red coatings on piston rods tracked deflections during impact, providing additional data on foot performance during tests.
Let me know if there’s anything specific you’d like me to elaborate on!
Motion picture films don’t last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we’ve worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies — including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you’d like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below.
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
