The Nikon NASA F4 Electronic Still Camera is one of the first and rarest fully digital cameras, with development started in 1987. While Nikon delivered a modified Nikon F4 body, most of the electronics for the digital camera and housings were designed and manufactured by NASA at the Johnson Space Center and other suppliers. It was first flown in September 1991 on board the Space Shuttle Discovery, mission STS-48.NASA F4 Electronic Still Camera Nikonweb Later, the cameras were flown on several other Shuttle missionsSpace Shuttle Launches NASA including STS-44, 45, 42, 49, 53, 56 and 61.
Although the camera was often used alone mounted with its Electronics Box, the HERCULES systemSky Camera Maps Targets: HERCULES Popular Mechanics Sep 1993 was built around it: Hand-held Earth-oriented Real-time Cooperative, User-friendly, Location, targeting, and Environmental System.Application of Space Shuttle Project HERCULES imagery in the investigation of ship cloud tracks Whitmeyer It includes one of the first laptops in spaceAdditional information on the NASA F4 in NHS issue 95. The F4 from flight STS-053. Nikon Historical Society mounted atop the Playback-Downlink Unit (PDU) and the kit also included the HERCULES Attitude Processor (HAP, a gyroscope based geolocation processor with initialization through star alignment shot with Nikon NASA F4 and additionally GPS data, giving up to 0.005 degrees per hour precisionHERCULES attitude processor: gyro data processing system for real-time geolocation of images captured by astronauts), Electronic Still Camera (ESC) Electronics Box (ESCEB) including removable imagery data storage disks, NRL HERCULES Inertial Measurement Unit (HIMU) with the three-axis Honeywell ring laser gyroscope, DA-20 action finder, a night vision image intensifier as well as assorted lenses and cables. It was flown on the STS-53 and 56 missions and was succeeded by the HERCULES-B.STS-70 Press Kit NASA
History
Nikon has been a supplier of space (EVA) capable camerasHow Does NASA Get a Nikon D2Xs DSLR Ready to Go to Space? Popphoto.com for NASA since 1971, when they delivered a modified Nikon F SLR Photomic FTn cameraNikon Photomic FTN NikonNikon F - Nikon FTn Meter Finder/Prisms Mir with center-weighted TTL metering system,Nikon cameras and NASA TATENO, Yokoyuki, Apphotnum which was first used on the Apollo 15 mission.Special titanium Nikon cameras and NASA cameras Nikon In 1973, a newer modified version of the Nikon F with a motor drive was delivered for use in Skylab. In 1980Corporate History Nikon and 1989, Nikon delivered modified, space capable F3Nikon F3 NASA 250 Mir.com (big and small version) respectively F4 cameras to NASA, which were used in the Space Shuttle.
Nikon's first digital camera (still video camera, with analog storage) was the Nikon Still Video Camera (SVC) Model 1, a prototype which was first presented at Photokina 1986.Additional information on Nikon Video Still Camera Model 1 & Nikon QV-1000C Still Video Camera MIRNikon Still Video Camera (prototype) Nikonweb This was followed in 1988 by the Nikon QV-1000C Still Video Camera, which was produced mainly for professional press use.Nikon QV-1000C? Never heard of it. Nikonweb Both cameras used QV mount lenses, a variant of Nikon F-mount lenses. Via a mount adapter (QM-100), F-mount lenses can be used.
The NASA Electronic Still Camera / Nikon NASA F4 was followed by the NASA-used Nikon-based Kodak DCS 460, DCS 660 and DCS 760, Nikon D1, D2X, D2Xs, D3, D3X, D3S, D4, D800E, D5, D6,NASA Goes Mirrorless: The Nikon Z9 is on the International Space Station PetaPixel and, more recently, Z9. The Nikon F-mount is the only 35mm SLR or DSLR lens mount ever used by NASA.Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth: What are the different choices of cameras? NASA
With the advent of the Nikon Z-Mount, the Z-mount cameras are the successors with integrated FTP (File Transfer Protocol), reduced power consumption and other changes compared to the commercial cameras.Nikon Z 9 goes to space: Space station astronauts receive Nikon's flagship full-frame mirrorless camera NikonMirrorless goes to the Moon: Nikon enters into a Space Act agreement with NASA for Artemis mission support with the Nikon Z 9 camera Nikon The Nikon Z9 for the Artemis IV mission to the moon is named Handheld Universal Lunar Camera, and is additionally modified to withstand the high radiation levels in space and is protected by a new thermal blanket.The Custom Nikon Z9 and Thermal Blanket Headed to the Moon PeataPixel
Technology
The camera was based on a modified F4 with standard F-mount and had a digital camera back with a monochrome CCD image sensor with 1024 x 1024 pixels on an area of 15 x 15mm developed by Ford Aerospace: type FA1024L. ISO 200 was the only light sensitivity, without infrared filter ISO 400.NASA Nikon F4 Electronic Still Camera Timm Chapman Photography: NASA Nikon Space Camera Profiles Removable IDE hard-disks were used for digital storage of 40 images each with 8 bits per pixel (256 gray levels). The camera's imaging sensor interface was based on an Altera Stand Alone Microsequencer and employed a 1 image SRAM storage buffer. The removable hard drive, RS-232 interface, LCD, Ku-Band downlink interface and remaining camera control were accomplished with a Wildcard 88 (Intel 80C88 8 MHz CPU) single-board computer. Images were transmitted to the ground via the Orbiter Ku-Band digital downlink at a rate of 2 Mbit/s. Within 1 hour the images were processed at Johnson Space Center's Pixar Image Computer and laser printed with a 3M Color Laser Imager.NASA Nikon F4 Electronic Still Camera
Three copies of the NASA Electronic Still Camera were produced. The original development team included NASA Civil Servant electronic and mechanical design and fabrication, Lockheed development of the Electronic Still Camera ground station, Nikon Engineering supplying in total 14 modified Nikon F4 camera bodies also for prototypes, and Ford Aerospace and JPL development of the CCD image sensor.
Developed upgrades included a 2048 x 2048 CCD sensor, a color CCD and architecture changes, but finally the Kodak DCS 460 was preferred.
See also Nikon E series List of cameras on ISS List of NASA cameras on spacecraft
References
External links
Nikon NASA F4 (ESC) Images taken at Mission STS-48 (E) NASA Nikon NASA F4 (ESC) Images taken at Mission STS-49 (E) NASA HERCULES Earth observation Nikon NASA F4 (ESC) Images taken at Mission STS-56 (E) NASA Nikon NASA F4 (ESC) Images taken at Mission STS-61 (E) NASA
ru:Nikon F4#F4 ESC NASA