Photographic Techniques for Project Mercury Ground Range Evaluation

Alan S. Markham

doi:10.1117/12.7971243

1 January 1963 Photographic Techniques for Project Mercury Ground Range Evaluation

Alan S. Markham

Author Affiliations +

Optical Engineering, Vol. 1, Issue 2, 010250 (January 1963). https://doi.org/10.1117/12.7971243

Abstract

The NASA Project Mercury spacecraft is tracked through its launch, orbit, and recovery phases by a world-wide network of tracking stations. The short duration of the manned flights and the paramount considerations of the astronaut's safety require a much more sophisticated ground range than is needed for unmanned flights of longer duration. Thorough testing of the ground acquisition and radar tracking equipment, prior to the spacecraft flights, was accomplished economically with boresight camera techniques, using DC-3 and C-54 aircraft specially equipped to simulate an orbiting spacecraft. Development of this test program is described, along with a discussion of the photographic equipment employed, the problems and limitations encountered and the aircraft equipment.

Citation Download Citation

Alan S. Markham "Photographic Techniques for Project Mercury Ground Range Evaluation," Optical Engineering 1(2), 010250 (1 January 1963). https://doi.org/10.1117/12.7971243

Published: 1 January 1963

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available

Members: $24.00

Non-members: $28.00 ADD TO CART

JOURNAL ARTICLE
4 PAGES

DOWNLOAD PAPER SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

GET CITATION

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Get copyright permission Get copyright permission on Copyright Marketplace

KEYWORDS

Mercury

Photography

Space operations

Photographic equipment

Cameras

Device simulation

Radar

Show All Keywords

Keywords/Phrases

Search In:

Publication Years