Nikon Inc. and NASA have entered into a Space Law Agreement to support NASA’s Artemis III mission program through the development of the Handheld Universal Lunar Camera (HULC). The star of the HULC program is the Nikon Z9, the company’s groundbreaking professional camera.
NASA
The Nikon Z9, as part of the HULC, will be the portable camera of choice for astronauts on the Moon on the upcoming ArtemisIII. This historic mission will mark humanity’s return to the Moon after more than 50 years and will be the first time anyone has set foot on the Moon’s south pole.
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Cameras have long been an essential part of space missions, and Nikon has a rich and storied history of collaboration with NASA and other space agencies. Nikon cameras have been used in space since Apollo 15 in 1971, the fourth Apollo mission to land humans on the Moon.
NASA
“The opportunity to partner with NASA on this endeavor is simply exciting, yet humbling, as we realize the benefits of this mission that have the potential to impact all of humanity in the future,” said Naoki Onozato, President and CEO of Nikon Inc. “… our goal is to best equip the crew as they bravely bring humanity back to the surface of the Moon, and perhaps beyond.”
Nikon is preparing its cameras for space
The Moon is harsh and unforgiving, creating many mechanical and technological challenges for Nikon and NASA. Cameras on the Moon are subject to significant temperature gradients and are under constant attack from cosmic radiation that can damage electrical components.
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Nikon engineers are working closely with NASA to ensure the Z9 and HULC are ready for the job. Solutions include redesigning various circuits and control sequences within the camera, ensuring it can survive high levels of radiation.
Nikon will also support NASA in its efforts to test HULC, including thermal vacuum tests and running simulations on Earth.
Artemis III astronauts will also use the camera during extravehicular activities (EVAs), such as spacewalks or moonwalks. This allows astronauts to operate the camera with their thick gloves on from their spacesuits. NASA is building a custom camera grip that includes standard controls such as shutter release, playback, switching between stills and video, and more. The grip will connect to the Z9 via its 10-pin terminal, which will be powered by specially developed camera software.
During an EVA, the camera is also at the greatest risk from environmental hazards, so the camera, lens and case will be wrapped in a special “thermal shroud” created by NASA. This is similar to what is currently used during spacewalks by astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS), to whom Nikon has just recently supplied a large package of brand new Z9 cameras and Nikon Z lenses. Nikon first sent cameras to the ISS in 1999 when it sent Nikon F5 film SLR cameras and Nikkor F-mount lenses.
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Like those cameras on the ISS, the Z9 cameras headed to the Moon will be heavily modified to ensure optimal performance. In addition to the different circuitry, Nikon is extending noise reduction at slow shutter speeds to account for the effect cosmic radiation has on image quality, adjusting the file naming sequence, and adjusting the camera's default settings.
Changes have also been made to the camera's communication controls to take into account an astronaut's workflow. Additional tweaks include corrections to the shutter dome, improved HDR functionality, and modified menu settings.
The Historic Artemis III Mission
The Artemis III mission will be one of the first to be undertaken as humanity returns to the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years.
While the four-member crew has not yet been named, it will include one woman, and she will be the first woman to ever walk on the Moon.
See also: Odysseus is upside down on the surface of the Moon
During the 30-day mission, the crew will enter lunar orbit and two astronauts will board the SpaceX Starship Human Landing System lunar module and head to the rarely explored South Pole of the Moon for about a week. There, the astronauts will conduct new science experiments before returning to the ship to prepare for the 238,900-mile return trip back to Earth.
Source: petapixel
