NASASpaceFlight.com Forum
General Discussion => Q&A Section => Topic started by: sanman on 06/05/2017 09:22 pm
-
What are the various types of equipment used to capture visual footage of space vehicles during ascent and descent? (ground viewpoint, onboard viewpoint, in space, etc)
What are the pertinent details/issues around selection and successful use of such equipment?
Recent SpaceX launches have featured much better quality close-up video of the vehicle, particularly during booster descent. What new equipment, if any, are they using?
(I found the ground-based close-ups of the returning F9R booster to be spectacular - like I was watching a good sci-fi movie. Hopefully this will become a regular part of launches in the future, going forward.)
-
Here's an informative video I found to shed some light on this topic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GZrrLW7lQE
-
https://petapixel.com/2013/05/01/check-out-how-pros-used-to-photograph-space-shuttle-launches-in-the-1980s/
-
What is the main reason that we see pictures like this (for maybe a couple of years):
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=47236.msg2083109#msg2083109
A lot of nuances are visible in the plume, the fuel rich areas close to the nozzle, cooler areas, hotter areas,.. Few years ago that would have just saturated the sensor.
Is it simply higher dynamic range of sensors or do people use n/s/...-log?
I assume in post color correction or grading is used to enhance the effect?
-
What is the main reason that we see pictures like this (for maybe a couple of years):
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=47236.msg2083109#msg2083109
A lot of nuances are visible in the plume, the fuel rich areas close to the nozzle, cooler areas, hotter areas,.. Few years ago that would have just saturated the sensor.
Is it simply higher dynamic range of sensors or do people use n/s/...-log?
I assume in post color correction or grading is used to enhance the effect?
Without knowing the camera settings, you are able to replicate this phenomenon by trying to take a picture of an incandescent light bulb (Heated filament bulb).
If you take the picture at normal light settings (Assuming 400ISO sensitivity, f/16 @ 400th/s), you'll get the typical glow that you see with your eyes. This is the normal rocket photos. The light bulb and flames are well over exposed just because of the relative brightness.
If you crank the shutter speeds to high values (Assuming 400ISO sensitivity, >1000th/s), you will start to see the filament inside of the bulb. Relativity, the glow of the bulb has decreased, but you are able to see the local hot-spots of the filament.
It isn't anything special on technique, just clever settings for the camera. And good foresight by the photographers for the reaction of the general public.
It highlights something that we normally don't see, but are taught.
-
This video deals with the photography dealing with STS(Space Transportation System) launch/ascents. Not only does it show highlights of the video caught by the myriad of cameras, but also describes how it was photographed/filmed.
The two narrators are Kevin Burke(participant in the procurement and "deployment of the 30 or so clips contained within this specific video") and Matt Melis (NASA aerospace engineer/Producer of this film). There is discussion about exactly how some of the cameras are able to see certain phenomenon within the SRB booster plumes, whereas previously such visuals were washed out due to the bright light. Overall an excellent presentation about the engineering and other video that was taken as a "shuttle stack" accelerates from zero to over 5 miles per second in approx. 8-1/2 minutes. Simply great imagery from T-zero to SRB sep.
https://youtu.be/vFwqZ4qAUkE
-
simply amazing