High Definition Earth Viewing cameras

High Definition Earth Viewing (HDEV) cameraswere a payload package delivered to theInternational Space Stationon theSpaceX CRS-3Mission, launched on April 18, 2014.[1][2]The High-Definition Earth Viewing camera suite was carried aboard theDragon spacecraftand is configured on a platform on the exterior of theEuropean Space Agency's Columbus laboratory module. It was the first large unpressurized NASA experiment to be assigned for delivery to the International Space Station bySpaceX.[3]The system is composed of four commercial high definition video cameras which were built to record video of the Earth from multiple angles by having them mounted on the International Space Station. The cameras streamed live video of Earth to be viewed online and onNASA TVon the show Earth Views. Previously-recorded video now plays in a continuous loop on public streaming sites.[4]

HDEV Completed Flight Assembly
Screenshot from HDEV videostream.
Sunrise in Québec as seen by HDEV camera.

The HDEV system was developed by engineers at theJohnson Space Centerin Houston, Texas.[3]High school students also helped design some of the cameras' components, through the High Schools United withNASAto Create Hardware program, and teams of students were expected to remotely operate the experiment.[5]

The system is configured on theColumbus – External Payload Facility,which is a platform on the exterior of the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory module where it was used to perform experiments to help NASA determine which cameras work best in outer space.[2]The cameras are enclosed in a temperature-specific housing and exposed to the harsh radiation of space.[5]

The German educational project"Columbus Eye – Live Imagery from the ISS in Schools",which is executed by theUniversity of Bonnand is funded by theGerman Aerospace Center(DLR), aims at the implementation of the ISS live imagery and videos in a web portal. It primarily acts as a learning portal for pupils, but also serves as a free access archive for the footage of the ISS HDEV cameras. Columbus Eye accompanied the ISS mission of the GermanESAastronautAlexander Gerst(May to November 2014).[6]

On August 22, 2019, the experiment reached its end of life. Originally expected to operate 1 to 3 years, it continued for over 5 years, attaining over 318 million views.[4]The HDEV system was removed from the Columbus module on May 7, 2020, and transferred into theCygnus NG-13resupply spacecraft for disposal via destructive re-entry at the end of its mission.[7]

Following HDEV end of life, two of the International Space Station External High Definition Cameras (EHDCs) have been used to provide video to the HDEV live feed. The Node 2 Zenith EHDC was used until the installation of the S3 (Starboard 3) Aft EHDC.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^"ISS: OPALS and HDEV".eoPortal.ESA.2015-10-06.Retrieved2020-05-08.
  2. ^abHarding, Pete; Bergin, Chris (2013-08-14)."NASA planners switch next SpaceX Dragon mission to 2014".NASASpaceFlight.Retrieved2014-03-10.
  3. ^abClark, Stephen (2014-03-21)."SpaceX confirms March 30 date for resupply launch".Spaceflight Now.Retrieved2014-03-22.
  4. ^abBeasley, Courtney (2019-10-21)."High Definition Earth-Viewing payload reaches end-of-life on station, surpassing life expectancy".NASA.Retrieved2020-04-12.
  5. ^abRunco, Susan."High Definition Earth Viewing (HDEV)".NASA.Retrieved2020-05-08.
  6. ^Rienow, A.; Goetzke, R.; Hodam, H.; Menz, G. (2014).Columbus Eye – HD-Erdbeobachtung von der ISS(PDF).Gemeinsame Tagung 2014 der DGfK, der DGPF, der GfGI und des GiN (DGPF Tagungsband 23 / 2014) (in German). Hamburg. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2014-05-28.Retrieved2020-05-08.
  7. ^Keeter, Bill (2020-05-07)."ISS Daily Summary Report – 5/07/2020".NASA.Retrieved2020-05-08.
edit