SURVEYOR 3 1/6th scale

Surveyor 3 is the second American lunar probe in NASA's Surveyor program to achieve a soft lunar landing. Launched on April 17, 1967, it landed on the Moon on April 20, 1967, on the Mare Cognitum section of the Oceanus Procellarum, transmitting a total of 6,326 images.

It has the distinction of having been visited two and a half years later by the astronauts of the Apollo 12 mission.

This was an opportunity to retrieve the camera and a few other elements and bring them back to earth for analysis.

Here's a 100% FDM printable version at 1/6th scale. The choice of scale makes it possible to reproduce all the details that make this popular probe so special.

Model dimensions are :

• diameter 80 cm

• height 64 cm

• total weight: approx. 2 kg

• number of pieces: approx. 300

Assembly instructions are available here: https://www.chronic3d.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/montage-surveyor3.pdf

For more information on height: https://www.chronic3d.com

Many parts are movable like :

• feet that can be folded into conveying position

• omnidirectional antennas that can be folded into the conveying position

• the video camera, which enabled us to capture a large number of images.

• the vernier engine, whose role is to complete the descent to the moon once the main engine has been jettisoned.

• the Ground Sampler, a kind of motorized arm used to take samples of the lunar soil in order to qualify it.

• the solar panel and high-gain antenna attached to the top of the probe.

The filament colors to be provided are: White, Silver, Black, Brown, Gold, Blue and Green.

Two 25cm piano strings are also required to hold the solar panel in position.

Some parts will need to be fixed with a hot iron, as gluing sometimes has its limits.

0.4 or 0.6 mm nozzle

no support required (already provided where applicable)

layer of 0.2 or 0.3mm depending on part