Soil Mechanics Surface Sampler: Lunar Surface Test and Results

After the success of Surveyor I 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 payload. Though originally planned for later Surveyors, the SMSS design was modified to fit the reduced telemetry and commanding capability of the earlier spacecraft. These modifications 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 III, and some conclusions regarding the lunar surface material drawn from the experiment are presented.