Guys,
The Surveyor landers were mostly a success. A Centaur (the first non-test
article) put the vehicle to the moon. A solid motor slowed it way
down, and three storable liquid engines lowered it to the surface.
(also some attitude gas thrusters for mid-course spin etc.)
The whole thing was fairly analog, with programmable sequencers, but not
really a general purpose computer.
The landing radar had, I think, 4 lobes that gave Altitude, Attitude,
plus Vertical and Horizontal Rates (Doppler). There may have been
a longer range version hidden behind the solid motor also.
The first try for both the Surveyor and Centaur was a success.
The program was cancelled when the Apollo landings were becoming imminent.
Now Apollo 12 landed close to a surveyor, and inspected ans sampled it.
But there was a plan, that apparently was never implemented, to land
two Surveyors close together. The second would home in on the landed first's
'Beacon'.
Anybody have any idea or references on how that was planned to work ?
I have only seen one reference, that I apparently lost/buried.
(Henry ???)
Thanks for any help,
-Gar.
