Japan is sending an 8K camera to Mars to capture ultra-high definition images of the planet and its moons. This project is headed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), who collaborated with Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) to jointly develop a Super Hi-Vision Camera capable of capturing 4K and 8K images in space for the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission of JAXA.
A 4K and 8K images of Mars and its moons taken at proximity will be photographed for the first time in history. It will be done by combining the actual flight data of the MMX spacecraft and the Super Hi-Vision Camera's images of Mars. The Super Hi-Vision is the exploration of the MMX spacecraft orbiting Mars about 300 million kilometers away from Earth.
Ultra-High-Definition Images of Mars
It might be difficult to justify 8K video on Earth, but that is not going to stop Japan to capture ultra-high definition images in the Solar System. JAXA and NHK are currently developing the 4K and 8K cameras for the upcoming MMX mission to be launch in 2024 to clarify the origins of the red planet and its moons, Phobos and Deimos.
The MMX mission will constantly capture images and partially send the data back to Earth to "create a smooth image," while the original will be kept in a capsule that will be sent back to Earth.
Moreover, the Super-Hi-vision Camera developed by NHK will help scientists to visualize the challenges in ultra-high definition images of MMX and broadcast them widely with the help of JAXA. According to the Japanese space agency, this could help them operate the spacecraft.
The MMX mission is scheduled to launch in fiscal 2024 of Japan and should reach Mars by fiscal 2025. It is expected that the return capsule would arrive back on Earth at a later time.
First Time in History: Seeing Mars in Great Detail
JAXA and NHK have continued to collaborate over the years to take on the challenge of capturing images of space development. It began back in 1992 in the live broadcasting from the space shuttle, which was followed by high-definition filming from the Kaguya lunar orbiter, as well as the 4K filming from the International Space Station (ISS), and visualizing the Hayabusa 2 landing operation.
But this new mission would allow JAXA and NHK to make history in space as they will photograph Mars and its moons in great detail using 8K cameras and the expertise they accumulated over the past collaborations.
JAXA and NHK will work together to deliver the beauty of seeing a new horizon of Mars by filming the MMX mission in the Martian system that is 300 million kilometers away from Earth.
The MMX mission is expected to provide highly detailed photographs of Mars from above the surface while it will take 8K images of the land of Phobos and collect surface material from it. This project could be worth the wait as scientists could learn more about the history of Mars and its present.
Lastly, this could serve as a treasure trove for the media giant, NHK, to have the 8K footage of the red planet and its moon that no other TV providers could ever hope to record themselves.
Read More: NASA to Pursue Mars Mission 2020 This July Despite Setback to Avoid Incurring $500M Cost
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