New Satellite Camera Allows You to Explore Space
Images of deep space have fueled the imagination of so many people. Many of these images are only available to scientists, astronauts and astronomers. But this may no longer be the case.. Now Sony’s Star Sphere program will allow ordinary people to operate a satellite and onboard camera to capture images of space themselves.
500 Kilometers Above the Earth
Sometime between October and December of 2023, Star Sphere, in collaboration with the University of Tokyo, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is planning to launch a satellite outfitted with a built in camera 500 to 600 kilometers above the Earth, according to Space News.
>
The camera will be connected to a ground station that will make it possible for anyone to control the satellite and its camera from their own computers, and thus, essentially making it possible for anyone to use it to take photos, reported Fast Company.
According to Sony, “users will be able to operate the satellite directly for around five to eight minutes to choose what to view and photograph from the actual onboard camera. The images chosen will be sent to the viewers as a memento of this life-changing view of the cosmos.
More than just photographs
Sure, it will be cool to be able to see what astronauts see, but the Star Sphere program will do more than that. According to PetaPixel, Sony is planning on collaborating with artists who will use the images and videos from the Star Sphere to create new art based on outer space.
To that end, the camera used on the satellite is itself a work of art. It is a full frame camera with a 28-135mm f/4 lens that can be controlled by users with a great degree of flexibility: Users will be able to change the aperture, ISO, and shutter speed to create photos to their liking.
If you would like to experience how Star Sphere will all work, reported Space News, there is an online simulator on the website where you can try out the various features and get a glimpse of the future.
The Star Sphere project is important for many reasons. It will open up the realm of space to so many people- artists, teachers, children, amateur astronomers, hopeful astronauts, and more. It serves as a reminder that space exploration is for everyone and that all people should have the opportunity to experience what it is like to be among the stars.
