Soil mechanics surface sampler: Lunar surface tests, results, and analyses

After the success of Surveyor 1 in meeting the objectives of the engineering flight series, selection from among candidate experiments led to the inclusion of the soil mechanics surface sampler (SMSS) on the Surveyor 3 payload. Although originally planned for later Surveyors, the SMSS was modified to fit the reduced telemetry and commanding capability of Surveyor 3. Specifically, the SMSS was adapted to the mounting location and the electronics interface of the approach television camera. This required a concentrated, short-term effort to modify, build, and test the SMSS to meet the demanding interface requirements. Modifications to the SMSS included removal of the strain-, acceleration-, and position-measuring systems originally planned and incorporation of a means for measuring current drawn by the motors during operation. A description of the modified device, its performance on Surveyor 3, and some conclusions about the lunar surface material are presented in this paper