Despite the postponement of the second and third Artemis missions by a year, the plans for returning humans to the Moon are still in motion, with a target date of 2026 at the earliest for a lunar landing.
Unlike the Apollo missions, which relied on outdated equipment like handheld cameras without viewfinders, the Artemis missions will introduce advanced technology, including a new handheld camera.
Developed in collaboration between NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and Nikon, the Handheld Universal Lunar Camera (HULC) will address the shortcomings of its predecessors.
Based on Nikon’s Z 9 camera, the HULC will feature viewfinders and be designed to withstand the harsh lunar environment, including extreme temperatures and lighting conditions.
Testing of the HULC is currently underway, with NASA astronauts simulating moonwalks and procedures using the camera in Arizona and Spain.
Once testing is complete, the HULC will be sent to the International Space Station for further evaluation before its deployment during the Artemis III mission, which aims to land the first humans on the Moon in over 50 years.
The Artemis III mission will feature a diverse crew, including a person of color and a woman, who will conduct scientific research on the lunar surface for approximately a month.
This mission represents a significant advancement in lunar exploration, equipped with modern technology to capture both still images and video, marking a new era in space exploration.