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From the Archives: Cheers for Surveyor 1 at Caltech

June 2, 1966: Scientists and engineers at the Caltech lab whoop it up after word was flashed that Surveyor 1 was on the moon.
June 2, 1966: Scientists and engineers at the Caltech lab whoop it up after word was flashed that Surveyor 1 was on the moon.
(Jack Gaunt / Los Angeles Times)
By Scott Harrison
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Launched on May 30, 1966, Surveyor 1 landed on the moon on June 2, 1966. This successful soft landing was the first for an American space vehicle. It occurred four months after the Soviet Union’s Luna 9 landing.

Staff writer Richard West reported the next morning, “The Surveyor 1 spacecraft Thursday televised to earth 144 superb pictures of the moon that proved the feasibility of the U.S. plan for placing astronauts on the lunar surface. “

Surveyor 1 transmitted over 11,000 images of the lunar surface back to earth. Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Lab managed the Surveyor program.

1966: Shadow of Surveyor 1 on the moon. In addition to transmitting thousands of phtotographs, the craft sent information on the bearing strength of the lunar soil, the radar reflectivity and temperature.
(NASA)
Artist drawing of Surveyor I on the lunar surface. This image was created by Hughes Aircraft artist Carlos Lopez and used in a Surveyor poster.
(Carlos Lopez / Hughes Aircraft / NASA)

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