Silicon detectors aboard Surveyor V.

Abstract This paper discusses the system of silicon detectors which were designed for the alpha-scattering experiment aboard the Surveyor soft-landing missions to the moon. The purpose of the alpha-scattering experiment is to perform a chemical analysis of the lunar surface. The detector requirements imposed by this experiment and the operating characteristics of the silicon detectors in the instrument aboard Surveyor V are discussed. The performance of the detectors on the Surveyor V lunar mission is reported.