Model, Lunar Lander, Surveyor, 1/5 Scale

This is a 1/5 scale model of the Surveyor spacecraft, which was used by NASA and Hughes Aircraft Company engineering teams for demonstration and technical discussions during the soft-landing lunar program. This miniature spacecraft was built by Hughes model makers working from original plans of the flight spacecraft. It closely represents the Surveyor III spacecraft that was later examined by the Apollo 12 astronauts. Five of the seven spacecraft built by Hughes for NASA successfully landed on the moon during the period from June 1966 to January 1968, paving the way for a manned landing on the Moon. Object is currently on display in the Exploring the Planets gallery, NASM 207.