Surveyor program

The Surveyor program was a series of robotic spacecraft launched by NASA in the 1960s. Its primary goal was to explore the Moon and gather detailed information about its surface before the Apollo missions. Surveyor missions used cameras and instruments to take pictures, analyze soil samples, and study lunar landforms. The first successful mission, Surveyor 1, landed on the Moon in 1966 and provided valuable data that helped inform landing sites for astronauts. The program significantly advanced our understanding of the Moon and played a crucial role in the success of subsequent human exploration.