Film magazine #3 was used with the IMAX camera flown on twelve space shuttle flights in the 1980s and 1990s. It could hold up to 305 m (1000 ft) of 65mm polyester base film, which could be changed out by astronauts during the flight. Each roll of film provided three minutes of filming time at a rate of 24 frames per second.
Astronauts used the IMAX camera to capture film footage for five IMAX productions. The first of these, The Dream Is Alive (1985), still ranks as the most popular of all IMAX feature films. Four of the films were co-sponsored by IMAX, NASA, the National Air and Space Museum, and Lockheed Martin. By carefully training the astronauts not only to operate the camera but also to act as cinematographers to capture both the thrilling and ordinary activities in orbit, IMAX produced films that virtually put the audience inside and outside the shuttle.
Gift of the IMAX Corporation in 2011.
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.