Kodak image sensors used on space shuttle

MAY 30, 2008--On the upcoming flight of Space Shuttle Discovery, planned for launch on May 31, 2008, KODAK Digital Technology (Rochester, NY, USA) will again be instrumental in capturing critical images and helping to safeguard the well-being of shuttle astronauts during re-entry to Earth. KODAK CCD image sensors are a key component of the Orbiter Boom Sensor System, an in-flight imaging system attached to the end of a 50-ft robotic arm used by shuttle astronauts to scan the underside of the orbiter for possible damage before landing. The resulting high-resolution images are analyzed to assess any potential spacecraft damage that may have occurred during lift-off or while in flight.

KODAK CCD image sensors are also routinely used in other camera systems operated by astronauts during shuttle missions and on the International Space Station. The image sensors power the hand-held digital cameras used by astronauts to capture images from space, as well as the recently launched Earth Viewing Camera located on the International Space Station.

The Earth Viewing Camera is a fixed-point Earth-observing camera, designed to capture color images of the Earth's surface to help increase public awareness of the Space Station. Installed in February 2008, the camera is based on the KODAK KAI-4021 image sensor, a 4-Mpixel device that includes electronic shuttering capability, a feature critical to preserving the robustness of this camera design by eliminating the need for a mechanical shutter.

For more information visit www.kodak.com/go/imagers.