Soil mechanics experiment

Abstract

The Apollo 15 soil-mechanics experiment has offered greater opportunity for study of the mechanical properties of the lunar soil than previous missions, not only because of the extended lunar-surface stay time and enhanced mobility provided by the lunar roving vehicle (rover), but also because four new data sources were available for the first time. These sources were: (1) the self-recording penetrometer (SRP), (2) new, larger diameter, thin-walled core tubes, (3) the rover, and (4) the Apollo lunar-surface drill (ALSD). These data sources have provided the best bases for quantitative analyses thus far available in the Apollo Program.