NASA experimental camera?

[davidsmith73]

Someone commented that this footage is probably a remote controlled camera tested during the mission.

Does anyone have any information about this camera? I can't seem to find anything on the web :(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw8GAr-YsN8

[TjW]

Anyone else find it odd that a video camera would exhibit film imperfections?
I don't see the point of a remote controlled film camera. How would you know where to point it?

[DouglasL]

As noted before there are imperfections in the image that appear to be similar to those found in old film stock. This clip is probably old NASA footage. Also note the horizon line, it moves when the object moves. This indicates that the camera was moving filming a stationary object.

[davidsmith73]

This indicates that the camera was moving filming a stationary object.

There's another version of this footage. The NASA satellite doesn't seem to move so I don't think its a stationary object

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7sCkxsMFSA

[bjb]

NASA has a floating ball, but it isn't meant to go out into space:

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast23jul_1.htm

As far as I know, it hasn't been tested on either the shuttle or ISS.

[uruk]

I noticed in the video on the OP the last few frames had hair pop up into it and as mentioned by another poster there were film artifacts.

What the videos look like is someone got a sheet of plastic or glass stuck a round object on and shot it with a webcam in front of a LCD monitor with some NASA footage playing on it.

I would have used some video software like After Effects.

[J_E_R]

I don't know what is so odd about NASA using film -- they still use a lot of 35mm and 16mm film for the same reasons Hollywood does. It has more contrast, higher resolution, and for high-speed filming it's a must.

How is the originating medium relevant?

[TjW]

No, nothing unusual about using film. But using film for a remote controlled camera (per the OP) seems odd, since the point of remote control is usually to be able to track objects of interest.

[J_E_R]

I agree, but it seems like we're talking about two different things. The footage in the video from the OP shows a spherical object that may be a remote camera. We haven't seen any footage from the remote camera to know whether it has film characteristics or not.

[DouglasL]

Modern film would not have the visible imperfections on it like we see on this video. This is old NASA stock film reused.

[uruk]

Someone commented that this footage is probably a remote controlled camera tested during the mission.

Does anyone have any information about this camera? I can't seem to find anything on the web :(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw8GAr-YsN8

Do you mean this device?
www.defensetech.org/archives/2004_06.html
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast23jul_1.htm
www.nasa.gov/.../news/releases/2004/psa/psa.html
www.nasa.gov/.../F_Nice_to_Have_One_PSA.html
www.open-video.org/details.php?videoid=6034
http://ic.arc.nasa.gov/projects/psa/
http://psa.arc.nasa.gov/

[Zep]

Looks much more like a ball of blu-tack (http://www.blutack.com/home.htm) bouncing around inside the spacecraft window...

[J_E_R]

This is footage from Mission "STS-51a" of the Space Shuttle Discovery, 1984.

It is likely just space junk as the mission involved retrieving two satellites as well as launching two.

[davidsmith73]

Do you mean this device?
www.defensetech.org/archives/2004_06.html
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast23jul_1.htm
www.nasa.gov/.../news/releases/2004/psa/psa.html
www.nasa.gov/.../F_Nice_to_Have_One_PSA.html
www.open-video.org/details.php?videoid=6034
http://ic.arc.nasa.gov/projects/psa/
http://psa.arc.nasa.gov/

That's interesting. It kind of fits the video except for the sphere in the NASA footage seems very smooth unlike the PSA. Also, the NASA footage was shot in the 80's and the PSA wasn't prototyped until 2002 apparently. Perhaps NASA had an earlier version they haven't told anyone about?

[bjb]

I guess I have to say this again:

NASA does not have a remote controlled flying space camera! I was involved with the space shuttle program for many years and there was never any such project. NASA is a civilian agency and has not participated in classified work since the Challenger accident, but that doesn't stop people from believing they do all sorts of secret stuff. Of secret stuff does happen but it is not funded by NASA...

[bjb]

Here's another possibility:

http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/wtether.html

Maybe it is video from the space tether experiment? Here's another page with a better picture of the tethered satellite:

http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/Shuttle/sts-75/tss-1r/brochure/page_2.html

My preferred guess is that someone faked the video and put it up on YouTube to fool noobs.

[J_E_R]

This video is not faked. It is from the Westar 6 retrieval. As to what the object is, I have no clue. But since it was on the 1984 highlight reel, I doubt it was anything unidentified.

The Westar 6 retrieval involved Astronaut Dale Gardner using a jet-propelled backpack and a "stinger" to capture the satellite.

Can't post links but the original video can be found at the NASA Langley Research Center - Multimedia Repository by doing a movie search for lv-1999-00044

[davidsmith73]

This video is not faked. It is from the Westar 6 retrieval. As to what the object is, I have no clue. But since it was on the 1984 highlight reel, I doubt it was anything unidentified.

The Westar 6 retrieval involved Astronaut Dale Gardner using a jet-propelled backpack and a "stinger" to capture the satellite.

Can't post links but the original video can be found at the NASA Langley Research Center - Multimedia Repository by doing a movie search for lv-1999-00044


Thanks for that useful info and search id to original footage. It appears that my OP link is not footage of mission STS-51A but mission STS-37 (shuttle Atlantis). The second link I gave is STS-51A footage. Sorry for the mix up. Both have these "spheres" appearing. See here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs_WFqGSmCQ

Having googled Westar 6 retrieval, perhaps the objects are the payload assist module or "PAM" for short. Info on it here:

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/carriers.html

You can find several pics with google images also. Search for "PAM D".

Still a bit doubtfull about that theory though. Both spheres travel quite fast with no visible 'rocket tail'. The STS-37 sphere seems to perform a sharp 90 degree turn. Is that within the capability of these PAM's?

J_E_R, do you know the search id for any STS-37 mission film? I tried entering STS-37 and Atlantis but got no results :(

[bjb]

Westar 6 is the huge, black, cylindrical object in the video. The PAM is a spherical object that attaches to to the bottom of the satellite. It has a prominent engine bell at one end. I'm not sure if the PAM is still attached to the satellite in the video. Here's a picture of a PAM attached to another satellite:

http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/lores/S84-27029.jpg

The PAM does not appear to be attached to the satellite in the video and the magic sphere in the video seems to be much smaller than the PAM.

The PAM (Payload Assist Module (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payload_Assist_Module)) is a solid rocket booster for satellites. Communication satellites need to be at about 22,000 miles but the shuttle can't go that high, so the PAM is needed to raise the orbit. The PAM is spin-stabilized so it does not have the ability to change directions like the mystery sphere in the videos.

[J_E_R]

J_E_R, do you know the search id for any STS-37 mission film? I tried entering STS-37 and Atlantis but got no results :(


On Google Video there is a great video (22min) of the entire mission including the questionable footage (~16min in). (title: Space Shuttle Flight 39)

I think the mystery is solved. At least for STS-37 the sphere is clearly a small piece of debris on the shuttle window or in the lens itself. Earlier in the video they actually comment on a piece of debris that looks like it's in space, but is actually just floating around in the lens barrel.

I believe this is similar for STS-51a. I think for this video, it is likely a small piece of debris that floats between the camera and window of the shuttle. just giving the illusion of being out in space.

[davidsmith73]

The PAM (Payload Assist Module (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payload_Assist_Module)) is a solid rocket booster for satellites. Communication satellites need to be at about 22,000 miles but the shuttle can't go that high, so the PAM is needed to raise the orbit. The PAM is spin-stabilized so it does not have the ability to change directions like the mystery sphere in the videos.

Thanks for that bjb. I wasn't sure what 'spin stablised' meant but I guess that clears it up. And I guess there goes the PAM theory as well. Looks like I'll have to settle for the debris in the lens theory. For now at least ;)