Kodak created special, thinner film stocks specifically for NASA’s purposes to maximize space inside the magazines. That’s a lot of backs to lug along for the ride, however, so the space cameras used special modules that could hold up to 160 color or 200 black and white images. Typically, Hasselblad film backs can handle 12 or 24 frames worth of film at a time. The astronauts shot color and black and white film Apollo 8 upgraded to the Hasselblad EL, which added some creature comforts The original 550C bodies were unmodified. So, when they finished shooting one batch of film, it was easy to stow it and attach another fresh back. The internal mechanisms were entirely mechanical with few moving parts, and the modular system kept film in switchable modules called “backs” that easily swapped. The Hasselblad was a natural choice for the job. In the early ‘60s, the Mercury mission astronauts brought several Hasselblad 550C cameras into space. Swedish camera manufacturer Hasselblad created cameras for early space travel. Hasselblad cameras went to space before the moon landing Each probe had equipment onboard to process film, then essentially scan the images and send them back to earth.

Several more probes followed in subsequent years, though they landed without a crash. Soon after transmitting the images, it crashed into the surface and broke for good. Stan Horaczek NASA sent lunar probes out to photograph the landing sitesĪ satellite called Ranger 7 sent the first images from the moon back to Earth via radio signal in 1964. Learn more › This camera never went to the moon, but it’s the same model and it lives in the Kodak camera archive. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

Moon landing nasa stock photo