70-MM Hasselblad Spectral Terrain Photographs

Description

The 3065 multispectral terrain photography experiment was designed (1) to obtain multispectral photographs from space over selected land and ocean areas, (2) to determine the usefulness of this type of photography for earth resources, and (3) to define future multispectral photographic systems. A total of 584 pictures were obtained by four electrically driven, model 500-El Hasselblad cameras, each with different film-filter combinations and fitted with Zeiss f/2.8 80-mm planar lenses. The cameras were operated simultaneously, and a manual intervalometer was used to obtain systematic overlapping (stereo) photographs. The cameras were mounted coaxially on a metal bracket designed to fit the circular command module hatch window. The cameras were preset, and thus no adjustments were made by the crew. The shutters were triggered simultaneously at predetermined intervals (between 5 and 10 sec) by a manual electric switch controlled by an astronaut. Film-filter combinations (and number of photos obtained) were as follows - (1) infrared Ektachrome type SO-180 color IR film - Photar 15 filter sensitive to 510 to 900 mu (139), (2) Panatomic-X type 3400 black and white panchromatic film - Photar 58 filter sensitive to 460 to 610 mu (159), (3) infrared aerographic type SO-246 black and white infrared film - Photar 89b filter sensitive to 700 to 900 mu (127), and (4) Panatomic-X type 3400 black and white panchromatic film - Photar 25A filter sensitive to 580 mu into the IR region (159). The regions photographed included the Southwestern United States (south of 34 deg N lat), Northwestern Mexico, the South Central and Southeastern United States, Southern Mexico, and the Caribbean-Atlantic region. The handheld photography was obtained simultaneously with the four-camera multispectral photography. The experiment was very successful as to quantity and quality of photographs obtained. A more complete description of this experiment is available in "Apollo 9 multispectral photographic information," NASA TM X-1957, April 1970.