Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package

Specifically, the experiments, institutions responsible, and principal investigators and coinvestigators were:[1] The ALSEP was built and tested by Bendix Aerospace in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The instruments were designed to run autonomously after the astronauts left and to make long-term studies of the lunar environment.

The ALSEP was stored in the Lunar Module's Scientific Equipment (SEQ) Bay in two separate subpackages.

Because of the risk of an early abort on the Moon, geologists persuaded NASA to permit only experiments that could be set up or completed in 10 minutes.

Despite the simpler design, the seismometer was sensitive enough to detect Neil Armstrong's movements during sleep.

The stations ran from deployment until the support operations were terminated on 30 September 1977 due primarily to budgetary considerations.

However, the transmitters were not switched off,[9] and all 5 ALSEPs were observed by the Soviet radio telescope RATAN-600 between 18 October and 28 November 1977, after the official termination of their mission.

ALSEP of the Apollo 16 mission
On Apollo 11, Buzz Aldrin simply carried the EASEP to the deployment site by using handles. This is different from the carrybar used on later missions.
Layout for Apollo 12's ALSEP
Planned layout for Apollo 13's ALSEP
A recording of the Apollo 13 S-IVB's impact on the lunar surface as detected by the Apollo 12 Passive Seismic Experiment.
Layout for Apollo 14's ALSEP
Layout of Apollo 15's ALSEP
Layout for Apollo 16's ALSEP
Layout of Apollo 17's ALSEP