The Handheld Universal Lunar Camera (HULC) is a mirrorless camera system that Nikon and NASA developed together for astronaut use on the forthcoming Artemis III mission to the Moon.
NASA highlighted the camera’s capacity to take pictures in low light and endure the harsh lunar environment when announcing the Space Act agreement on Thursday.
The Artemis III mission, which is slated to launch “no earlier than September 2026,” is focused on the lunar south pole, a location of interest to scientists that contains water ice inside craters that are permanently shaded.
The development of the HULC system is essential because the harsh lighting and temperature conditions in this location present special technological obstacles for equipment performance.
Prior to the partnership, Nikon’s flagship full-frame Z9 underwent testing under the following conditions: heat, vacuum, and radiation.
The camera’s design includes updated electrical components to reduce radiation-related problems and NASA’s thermal blankets to protect it from dust and extremely high temperatures.
Glove-wearing crew members can operate the camera equipment more easily using a modified grip and buttons. Nikon’s involvement in space exploration began with the Apollo 15 mission in 1971, which employed a modified Nikon Photomic FTN.
But the use of mirrorless technology in the next Artemis III mission represents a major breakthrough.
The HULC has a viewfinder, unlike the large-format cameras used on the 1972 Apollo 17 mission, and crew members can use the Nikon Z9’s onboard video capability to record both still images and video with a single device.
