TechCamerasGoPro & Action CamerasSatellite company sends old GoPro HERO 7 into orbit to take stunning space selfiesSpace-grade engineering cameras are too lo-res, too expensive, and take too long to developWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
TechCamerasGoPro & Action CamerasSatellite company sends old GoPro HERO 7 into orbit to take stunning space selfiesSpace-grade engineering cameras are too lo-res, too expensive, and take too long to developWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Space-grade engineering cameras are too lo-res, too expensive, and take too long to develop
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: NanoAvionics)
(Image credit: NanoAvionics)
A spacecraft engineering company has sent aGoProinto orbit to take space selfies. NanoAvionics attached the action cam to one of its microsatellites with a selfie stick, to capture photos and video. The exercise was primarily to check in on satellite operations, but a welcome side-effect was that it captured some truly epic shots of Earth in the background.
The intrepid HERO captured 4K video clips and 12-megapixel photos of the NanoAvionics' MP42 microsatellite, which launched in April this year, with the earth photobombing in the background. From 550 km above the Coral Sea, the video is clear enough to be able to spot the Great Barrier Reef.
Our Satellite Took a 4K Selfie in Space - YouTubeWatch On
Our Satellite Took a 4K Selfie in Space - YouTube
Our Satellite Took a 4K Selfie in Space - YouTube
According toNanoAvionics, off-the-shelf cameras aren’t typically the go-to for satellite missions, but this one was chosen because space-grade engineering cameras tend are too lo-res, too expensive, and take too long to develop. Although we’re not totally clear why they didn’t plump for the range-toppingGoPro HERO 10 Black.
It’s a real testament to how robust these action cameras are. The HERO 7 had to be able to endure a rocket launch, survive in the vacuum of space, and be able to withstand huge swings in temperature, too. (Apparently, still not quite as damaging as thisbrutal parrot attack, from which a different GoPro came off decidedly worse-for wear.)
It didn’t quite go as-is; the GoPro was stripped down and rehoused in a new custom casing (the selfie stick was specially engineered, too). The team also had to add systems that’d allow them to communicate and control the camera remotely.
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