(Photo: European Space Agency)
Washington: Japanese camera maker Nikon is working with NASA on a mirrorless camera that could be used by astronauts to film the moon landing of the upcoming Artemis 3 mission. will
An announcement by NASA said that the agency has entered into a Space Act contract with the company to build the hand-held Universal Lunar Camera (HULC). It will be a camera system designed to capture images in low light and function properly in the harsh lunar environment.
The crew aboard Artemis 3 (which is not expected to launch before September 2026) will inspect the moon’s south pole. This is the region of the Moon where water ice exists in craters hidden in the shadow caused by giant hills.
This object has attracted the interest of scientists in this area, but due to the intense light and temperature, certain technical problems are encountered in using the instruments.
Nikon’s full-frame Z9 flagship has already undergone thermal, vacuum and radiation testing ahead of the deal, with the latest version of the camera set to form the basis of the HULC system with Nikkor lenses.
The HULC design will also include NASA-developed thermal shrouds to protect the camera from dust and extreme temperatures, and will have advanced electronics to reduce potential problems caused by radiation.
Along with the advanced button, the camera will also be given a special grip so that spacesuited crew can easily use the camera while wearing gloves.
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