Detail of the Surveyor's Soil Mechanics/Surface Sampler, or scoop
arm, an experiment flown on the Surveyor III and Surveyor VII
missions. The SM/SS was used to dig
into the lunar surface, providing information about the properties of the soil.
The Apollo 12 astronauts returned
Surveyor III's scoop so that scientists could study the effects of
exposure to the vacuum, radiation, and micrometeor bombardment of space. The
returned scoop
is displayed at the Kansas
Cosmosphere.
Note the high-pressure helium tank (the sphere with the black band), used to
pressurize the vernier engine propellant system. Also note the green TD-339 vernier engine
near the landing leg hinge point.
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