Mapping Camera
Apollo Mapping Camera
Flight Backup
Mapping the Lunar Surface was a high priority during Apollo 15, 16, and 17. Mounted in the service module, the mapping camera captured high-resolution images of the Moon as the spacecraft orbited. While returning to Earth, command module pilots performed spacewalks to retrieve the film canisters, mounted on the right side of the camera.
This flight backup, available for those missions if the installed cameras were damaged or malfunctioned before launch, is the best surviving example. The flown versions remained in service modules, which burned up when they reentered the Earth’s atmosphere.
Mapping Camera
Apollo Mapping Camera
Flight Backup
Mapping the Lunar Surface was a high priority during Apollo 15, 16, and 17. Mounted in the service module, the mapping camera captured high-resolution images of the Moon as the spacecraft orbited. While returning to Earth, command module pilots performed spacewalks to retrieve the film canisters, mounted on the right side of the camera.
This flight backup, available for those missions if the installed cameras were damaged or malfunctioned before launch, is the best surviving example. The flown versions remained in service modules, which burned up when they reentered the Earth’s atmosphere.