The Apollo Lunar Surface Drill

Nearly every time I go into the shop, I reach for my DeWalt 12v cordless drill.  Driving screws into pocket holes, drilling pilot holes and many other grunt work projects are handled by this convenient tool.

Sure, I have electricity in my shop, and I could always plug a corded drill in, but the cordless is always handy and ready to go.

Now, imagine being 385,000 kilometers away from the nearest electrical outlet.  A cordless drill would quickly become an essential tool in your toolbox.

With the events surrounding the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, it’s only fitting we look at the Apollo Lunar Surface Drill, one of the granddaddies of all cordless drills.

Sure, the ALSD wasn’t developed until 1971 for the later Apollo missions.  However, this 430 watt baby really helped astronauts do the geological experiments they weren’t able to tackle on earlier fights.

One of the Apollo Lunar Surface Drills is on display at the Smithsonian Institution’s Air and Space Museum.