title: Lunar surface strength: implications of luna 9 landing.
abstract: The ability of the lunar surface to support statically the Luna 9 copsule indicates that the surface can bear at least 5 x 10(3) dyne per square centimeter (10(-1) lb/in.(2)). Analysis of the landing dynamics, using available data, gives a lower bound of about 1 to 2 x 10(5) dyne/cm(2), but this estimate may not be conservative because of uncertainties regarding the shock-absorbing system used and the direction of the velocity vector at impact.
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Jaffe
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Scott