Lunar surface operations

[JonClarke]

I'm not having much success locating operating lives of various items left on the moon during US missions. Can anyone help with the legnth of time the following items were operating?<br /><br />1) Surveyors 1-7 (exclusive of the two failures)<br /><br />2) Apollo 11 seismometer<br /><br />3) Apollo 12-17 ALSEPs (exclusive of Apollo 13)<br /><br />Thanks<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[thalion]

Surveyor 1 = 6/2/66-7/13/66 (contact until 1/7/67)<br />Surveyor 3 = 4/20/67-5/4/67<br />Surveyor 5 = 9/11/67-12/17/67<br />Surveyor 6 = 11/10/67-12/14/67<br />Surveyor 7 = 1/10/68-2/21/68<br /><br />It appears that in most cases, the lunar nights did them in.<br /><br />Don't know where to find the Apollo instrument data, but the Surveyor info came from the NSSDC lunar exploration page, here:<br /><br />http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo_25th.html<br />

 

[bobw]

Hi Jon. I hope this helps re: Apollo 11<br /><br />http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/database/MasterCatalog?ds=PSPG-00043<br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>The Apollo 11 Passive Seismograph Experiment (PSE) data are contained on 2 reels of 35-mm microfilm. The microfilm records were made from hard-copy seismograms obtained at Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory and from the EASEP-PSE analog tapes received by NSSDC from NASA-MSC. Each seismogram contains approximately 6 hr of data. The seismograms are numbered in chronological order, with the first lunar day numbers from 1 to 52 and the second lunar day numbered from 53 to 78. The original seismograms are 90 cm wide and approximately 25 cm in height. On the microfilm, minute marks appear approximately 12 cm apart, i.e., 1 hr of data is contained in 8 lines. The calibration of the records was determined by using the width of the seismograms as an exact scale and a full scale amplitude deviation of + or - 3 cm = + or - 512 digital units at x 1 recorder magnification. Changes in recorder magnification are marked at the top of each seismogram. Accompanying documentation indicates changes in short period seismometer gain, and the seismometer magnification curve in a digital units per cm of ground displacement. Time on the records is shown in GMT. Occasional data dropouts visible on the seismograms were present on the original digital tapes. There has been no filtering performed on these data.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />I don't know how reliable this is, but it gives a definate time-before-failure.<br /><br />http://www.lpi.usra.edu/expmoon/Apollo11/A11_Experiments_PSE.html<br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>The Passive Seismic Experiment studied the propagation of seismic waves through the M</p></blockquote> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

Thanks guys, this is just what I was after.<br /><br />Given how long Surveyor 1 lasted, I wonder if the others were actually turned off after completing their primary mission? I know the ALSEPs were all turned off for budget reasons.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[bobw]

I found some more stuff. Looking around for more is the best part of SDC for me <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <br /><br />It looks like the ALSEP Termination Report has some more info in chapter 4; it seems like a daily log. Instruments from Apollo 12-16 were turned off on 30 Sept 1977.<br />http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19790014808_1979014808.pdf (9 MB)<br /><br />This geocities site has links to a lot of NASA pdf's. I'm bookmarking that one, the guy has done a lot of legwork! I plan to read the Apollo Lunar Surface Drill/ALSD/ Final report, too.<br />http://www.geocities.com/bobandrepont/apollosci.htm<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>