Lunar Module Pilot camera
Used by astronaut Jim Irwin to take 299 pictures during the Apollo 15 mission in 1971.
By the time of Apollo, Hasselblad and NASA were working hand-in-hand to produce the 500EL, suited for long-duration flight and the vagaries of the lunar environment. The manufacturer built a high-capacity film holder, while Eastman Kodak invented a thinner film emulsion — a combination that resulted in getting hundreds of shots out of a single magazine.
Text: NPR
Image source: NASA
A Super Moon Cam Needs Super Moon Film
According to NASA the Kodak film that went into this camera was able to withstand the Temperatures on the moon. Which are incredibly hot in the daytime, about 100 degrees C (212° F). At night, the lunar surface gets as cold as minus 173° C (343° F). And this wide variation is because the moon has no atmosphere to hold in heat at night or prevent the surface from getting so hot during the day.
The inner workings of any 1969 color film includes a liquid emulsion strip that is opened and spread during the development process. Film can be in heat without being ruined, but long periods of exposure will greatly affect it. And the heat mutes the colors, brings the contrast down, and has a significant impact on overall quality. And while cold may not have a terrible effect on processed film, it will destroy undeveloped film.
Text: Flat Earth News
