UK cameras to beam 4K video from NASAs ISS

Ultra high-definition cameras from a UK company hitched a ride to the International Space Station. The cameras placed in NASAs SpaceX 30th resupply rocket launched 21 March, 2024.

After arrival on Saturday, SEN’s camera payload will be prepped by the station crew and then put through an airlock to be placed on the Bartolomeo deck. A piece of exterior structure connected to the European Columbus science module.

The big robotic CanadaArm-2 will do the manoeuvres, scheduled for May.

One camera will look straight ahead at the horizon, capturing sunrises and sunsets, as well as the northern and southern lights.

A second camera will point straight down, to focus on what’s happening on Planet Earth. The capacity scene size will be about 180km by 240km (110 miles by 150 miles). It will see features as small as 60m across.

The controlling software should be able to adjust the exposures so that when the station moves into darkness, city lights will be visible.

A third camera directed at the forward docking point to record the comings and goings of space capsules – the SpaceX Dragon ship and the soon-to-debut Boeing Starliner.

Sen’s boss, Charles Black talked to ynuk.tv about plans to extend the company’s technology to many more locations, including the Moon.

The London company already streams live video from a small satellite it launched in 2022.