The ISS is getting an ultra-high-res immersive camera, the fanciest one yet

We’ve seen some splendid photos taken from the International Space Station. They’re out of this world (quite literally) regardless of the gear, so just imagine what they would be like if astronomers used fancy ultra-high-resolution cameras.

Well, you don’t need to imagine. The recent NG-18 mission sent state-of-the-art immersive camera gear to the ISS. It’s the highest-resolution camera system ever launched to the space station and will bring us an immersive experience at the MSG Sphere venues here on Earth.

For this project, capture and technology teams from MSG Sphere Studios teamed up with Nanoracks and the ISS National Lab. They plan to work with ISS astronauts across three missions to validate custom camera technology being developed for the MSG Sphere venues. The first set of gear was launched on 7 November 2022 as a part of Northrop Grumman’s 18th Commercial Resupply Services mission (NG-18), which took off from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

The footage and images taken from the ISS will become a part of the immersive projections at an MSG Sphere. If you’re wondering what it is like I did, you can watch this video and get a better idea. MSG Sphere Studios describes it as “the new entertainment medium that will deliver immersive experiences at an unparalleled scale.”

Andrew Shulkind, MSG Sphere Studios’ Senior Vice President of Capture and Innovation, said:

“Our vision with MSG Sphere is to create immersive experiences that transport audiences to new places, and there are few landscapes more awe-inspiring than space. The insights and imagery we gain from this first mission will be invaluable to prepare our groundbreaking camera technology for working in space, and push our collective understanding of Earth and deep space. We are thrilled to be collaborating with Nanoracks, the ISS National Lab and NASA on this project, which we believe will not only benefit the extraordinary vision of MSG Sphere, but also set a new bar for ultra-high-fidelity imaging.”

[via PetaPixel; lead image credits: NASA Johnson (cropped)]