Lunar Surface Sensing Probe
  • Probe for sensing contact with the lunar surface as the Lunar Module (LM) landed on the moon.
  • Consists of an aluminum tube with a switch at the end, and a spring-driven mechanism for rotating the probe to the extended position.
  • The switch would activate two blue “Lunar Contact” lights on the LM control panel, alerting the crew to shut down the descent engine to complete the landing.
  • The tube is covered with insulation made of gold-colored Kapton film, and  black Inconel foil for the side facing the LM descent engine.
  • A small access port near the end of the tube allowed access to the switch.
  • NASA photo shows the Apollo 11 LM with its landing gear and lunar surface sensing probes extended. The landing gear at the front of the LM did not have a sensing probe to prevent interference with moon-walking astronauts as they descended the ladder.
  • NASA photos show the +Y footpad of the Apollo 11 LM on the moon with the lunar surface sensing probe bent outward, and as the probe frames the bottom of Buzz Aldrin’s famous image. (The +Y position is to the right when facing forward in the LM.)

Also see:

Grumman engineering drawing for installation of sensing probe insulation:

LM_probe_ins_inst_crop100

Grumman removal tag for this sensing probe:

lm_probe_tag100

2.52 lbs. (1.14 kg)

lm_probe200

lm_probe_mount400

lm_probe_ins_retainer400

lm_probe_end400

lm_probe_spring600

lm_probe_mech_mount600

lm_probe_retainer300

lm_probe_switch_access300

AS11-44-6581_600

AS11-40-5917_600

AS11-40-5903_600

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