Apollo 11 First Steps, High Quality 16mm DAC

Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon during the Apollo-11 mission are often shown as seen by the Apollo Lunar Television Camera - a black and white slow-scan TV camera, but there was another camera on the mission which captured the first steps on the moon and other portions of the mission.

The Maurer 16mm Data Acquisition Camera was a 16mm movie camera that NASA loaded with the highest quality, finest grained, film stock of its day. The camera was capable of running at 24 fps for full motion recording, 12 fps for near full motion recording as well as 6 and 1 fps for time laps recording. (The slowed recording speeds used to conserve film).

On Apollo-11 the DAC was mounted near the window of the lunar module and was initially operated at full speed to record the historic first portion of the EVA by Neil Armstrong. Buzz Aldrin remained in the lunar module to record the EVA and to operate other instruments such as the TV downlink before joining Armstrong on the lunar surface. If you look carefully you can see Buzz Aldrin's reflection on the window as he works in the lunar module.

After this sequence, the camera was adjusted and slowed down to the 1FPS time laps/stop motion setting which was used to record the entirety of the mission EVA by the two astronauts. Such speed was required to keep the film from running out during the EVA. The camera did not record sound, but the corresponding sound from the radio downlink has been added and synchronized.

This could be considered the first "High definition video" taken on the moon, since the DAC's film quality meets or exceeds high definition video standards.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Apollo-11
• buzz aldrin
• neil armstrong
• DAC
• moon
• Apollo
• Lunar
• 16mm
• First Steps
• One small step for man
• men on the moon

[XKS99]

Because the moon landings were the apex of human civilization. We have been regressing ever since then, culminating with your generation and type.

[eatwoodman]

It hasn't been done since 1969? You're a fucking idiot. If you're going to spew bullshit, at least try to conceal your stupidity. There were SIX manned moon landings. We HAVE been to the moon since 1969.

[Finnstudios]

The Happiest Place Orbiting Earth :)

[AvatarAlphaOmega]

@hughezee An expert on the "bounciness" of astronauts in the moon's gravity are you? And, have you heard of contrast control settings on cameras? Evidently not. Notice how as the contrast is increased the sunlit area becomes washed out? No? You didn't?

The sad truth is, you're a big mistake. An evolutionary mistake. Educate yourself, or kill yourself, one of the two. Preferably the latter.

[FORZION]

@hughezee at 1:50 and 2:30 you see them increase the contrast of the video. Notice how you can no longer make out details of the moon surface but you can see him better? He is in the shadows so they had to make the video brighter to see him better. compare 1:00 to 2:40 and you will see that all they did was increase the contrast.

[yourmajezty]

@medumbcat HAHAHAHA. EXACTLY

[hughezee]

moon- moon . (Astronaught) Puppet on a string - Sandy Shaw

enjoy

[hughezee]

big mistake.... why isnt he bouncing ..like less gravity and all that and why is his suit lit up when its in the shade?

[ytmoog]

@moongoonsquad

"Starting at 4:20 Who is reflection in full suit Buzz?"

Yes, it's Aldrin's reflection in the window. The 16mm camera is just inside the LM.

Same for your lights they are inside the LM and reflecting off the window.

[ytmoog]

@moongoonsquad

He would be lit, there is a lot of light coming from that sunlit lunar surface.