[Red Badger]

The center of gravity of the craft is too high, the legs are too springy and the lander bounces when it touches down.

I wonder if the engineers took into consideration that the Moon’s gravity is only 1/6th that of the Earth?.....................

[Carry_Okie]

I wonder if the engineers took into consideration that the Moon’s gravity is only 1/6th that of the Earth?.....................

Everything about that lander had to be structured for lower gravity, if only to save overall weight. The craft has to be designed to accommodate a very unpredictable surface and remain upright with irregular objects tipping or skipping out from under its feet. When astronauts landed the LEM, they had decisionmaking within feet of the surface, to reposition if necessary. I'm betting that designing an intelligent system for a lander to do that job onboard is very difficult. Given the distance, the communication loop to earth for control purposes would be pretty slow.

[rktman]

Crap! I knew we forgot something. 🚀🤔

[telescope115]

Great point!