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KC-6A Summary
This brief exposition covers the significant characteristics of the KC-6A
camera in which first order mapping accuracy will not be sacrificed for
high image quality photography when that camera is flown in high speed
vehicles. Fairchild development and quality control engineers now have
enough experience with the prototype to know that it will capably perform
this major role in the Air Force AN/USQ-28 system being developed by
Kollsman. Since the KC-6A leans heavily in its design on the proved operational
features of the Fairchild line of mapping cameras, its capability as a single
instrument in any mapping project is also assured.
THE PHOTOGRAMMETRIC VIDICON CAMERAS OF THE NASA SPACECRAFT*
From the time man first began to explore outer space, it was inevitable that
cameras would be used to obtain information. To date, both TV cameras
and hand-held cameras in orbiting satellites have sent or brought previously
unavailable data back to earth. The NASA spacecraft, destined for a "soft"
landing on the moon in 1965, will mount three cameras. Two of these will be
used to survey the terrain after the landing. Mirrors will step in azimuth
and elevation, responding to earth-directed commands, such that the cameras
observe and record the entire surrounding terrain.
Initially, the vidicon came ras were designed as simple, good resolution, zoom
systems. In this category their characteristics allow 25 to 100 millimeters
focal lengths in selected steps, and zooming for targets at 6 feet to infinity.
These vidicon cameras, under the guidance of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
engineers, are now assuming photogrammetric capability, primarily by additions
to and modification of the original camera design and by employing special
testing techniques which provide special calibration data. Included in these
techniques is the investigation of the geometric operational precision and
reliability of the camera under simulated environmental conditions.
Testing consists, first, of determining resolution and distortion characteristics
for equally spaced positions on the zoom and focus drives; in particular, the
repeatability and the exact position being determined such that the stability of
a scale factor, the stability of the selected center, the distortions, symmetric
and asymmetric, may be known. Special goniometric techniques and calibrated
focusing collimators are being used in these applications. Targets at known
* The vidicon system has been designed for space operation under contract
950552 for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology,
under contract NAS7-100 sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space
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