The Surveyor Variable and Fixed Focal-Length Lenses

Carvyn Ellman

The Surveyor spacecraft has TV cameras equipped with specially designed versatile variable focal-length lenses. Each lens is capable of withstanding extreme environments under the most adverse conditions of an earth launch, earth-moon journey, lunar soft landing and the vacuum and temperature variations of the moon. Each lens assembly is an optically integrated unit consisting of a 25mm to 100mm variable focal-length lens with earth-commanded motor drives for focal length, 4 ft to infinity focus and f/4 to f/22 adjustable iris mechanisms; a reflex viewing system behind the lens for automatic exposure control; solenoid-actuated focal-plane shutter; and motor-driven color filter wheel to provide color picture capability. Effects of radiation on optical transmission, optical performance in a vacuum, outgassing of particles on the lens surfaces, selection of lubricants and an all air-spaced optical design were among the design problems that were solved.

Print ISSN
Published
1968-04
Content type
Original Research
DOI
10.5594/J05830