Flown on shuttle Challenger in 1984, NASA designed the Large Format Camera (LFC) as a demonstration for acquiring high-fidelity reference mapping data of the Earth’s surface. Interest in such data spanned a range of governmental actors (including NASA, Department of Energy, and US Geological Survey) and, especially, companies that might take up this technology as a market opportunity.

That latter emphasis of the program represented a 1970s/80s shift in policy to move space-based applications projects from government to market auspices—and of the shuttle’s role in facilitating such policy.

A key objective of the LFC program was to demonstrate that the camera could acquire images to produce maps at the standard cartographic scale of 1:50,000. To achieve this result, the camera optics needed to provide 10-15 meter resolution, with a film format of 9 x 18 inches--hence the terminology "large format" to describe the camera. This lens is key component of the camera's optical system and is a backup to the lens flown in space.

NASA transferred the LFC and this lens to the Museum in 2017.

Display Status

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.

Object Details

Country of Origin

United States of America

Type

EQUIPMENT-Photographic

Manufacturer

ITEK Corporation

Dimensions

3-D (Diameter x Height): 11.1 × 7.3cm (4 3/8 × 2 7/8 in.)
Overall: 1.4kg (3.1lb.)

Materials

Glass
Ink

Inventory Number

T20180005001

Credit Line

Transferred from NASA

Data Source

National Air and Space Museum

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply
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