This is a cutaway mockup of the solid fuel Retro Motor for the Surveyor spacecraft, the first U.S. spacecraft to soft-land on the surface of the Moon. The Retro was a high performance motor to decelerate the Surveyor spacecraft as it approached the lunar surface.
The Retro was developed by the Elkton, Maryland, Division of the Thiokol Chemical Corporation. The average thrust was about 8,400 pounds. Surveyor 1 was launched in 1966 and Surveyor 7, the last in the series, was launched 1968. Images and data gathered by the Surveyors aided the coming manned Apollo lunar exploration missions. This model was donated to the Smithsonian in 1976 by Thiokol.
Display Status
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
PROPULSION-Rocket Engines
Manufacturer
Thiokol Chemical Corporation
Dimensions
3-D: 85.1 × 88.9 × 149.9cm, 211.4kg (2 ft. 9 1/2 in. × 2 ft. 11 in. × 4 ft. 11 in., 466lb.)
Materials
Non-Magnetic White Metal
Phenolic Resin
Ferrous Alloy
Paint
Plastic
Adhesive
Inventory Number
A19761827000
Credit Line
Thiokol Chemical Corporation, Elkton, Md. Division
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
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