Nikon is building a camera that can be taken into space. The company, in partnership with NASA, is developing a handheld camera for astronauts to use on the lunar surface during the upcoming Artemis mission.
NASA and Nikon recently sign A deal to design a camera that can withstand the harsh temperatures of the lunar environment and capture the astronauts’ time on the moon for research purposes (and maybe some cool selfies).The camera is planned to be ready for use on the Artemis 3 mission, which will Tentatively scheduled to take off in September 2026.
During the Apollo era, astronauts on the moon had a 70 mm film camera mounted on their chest to capture the mission. More than 50 years later, NASA wants to give astronauts more freedom of movement on the lunar surface and the ability to click away with ease.
According to NASA, a team at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, has begun making the necessary adjustments to the standard Nikon Z9 camera to develop the HULC (Handheld Universal Lunar Camera). The result is an improved Nikon Z9 camera with NIKKOR lenses, wrapped in a NASA thermal blanket to protect the camera from dust and extreme temperatures, and a custom grip with improved buttons that astronauts can use while wearing thick Use without gloves.
The camera will also feature the latest imaging technology and improved electrical components to avoid radiation damage. Compared to the cameras used to capture 18,000 photos during the Apollo missions, the Artemis camera will have a viewfinder as well as video capabilities to capture still images and video on a single device.
“The camera will be the first mirrorless handheld camera used on the moon and is designed to capture images in low-light environments,” NASA writes. The camera will be tested on the International Space Station before heading to the moon.
As part of its Artemis program, NASA is also making progress on the docking system that lunar astronauts will use to move between the Orion spacecraft and the Starship Human Landing System, which will be built by SpaceX. Orion will be used to transport astronauts from Earth to lunar orbit, while Starship’s lander will transport astronauts from the spacecraft to the lunar surface.
NASA and SpaceX recently conducted systematic testing of the docking system at Johnson Space Center, using a system that simulates contact dynamics between two spacecraft in orbit. NASA.
“Testing included more than 200 docking scenarios with varying approach angles and speeds,” the space agency wrote. “These real-world results using full-scale hardware will validate computer models of the lunar lander docking system.”
These ongoing docking tests, along with Nikon’s partnership, are moving the Artemis program forward as we await the first manned lunar landing since Apollo. But it’s also a reminder that there are all kinds of different bells and whistles that need to be accomplished to make this mission successful.
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