THE SURVEYOR 2 MISSION

Mission Description

Launch:  20 September, 1966

Surveyor 2 was intended to land in Sinus Medii, a different area of the Apollo zone. When the midcourse maneuver was attempted, one of the vernier engines failed to ignite, and the unbalanced thrust caused the spacecraft to tumble. Although repeated efforts were made to salvage the mission, none was successful. Surveyor 2 crashed into the Moon southeast of Copernicus Crater on September 22, 1966.



Surveyor 2 Mission Information at NSSDC

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Last modified: October 15, 2004