NASA long range ascent tracking camera

<p>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_Sciences_Corporation">Orbital Science</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antares_(rocket)">Antares rocket</a> on its Space Station resupply mission failed at launch yesterday, and news crews interviewed a number of amateur space enthusiasts gathered near the launch site with cameras and telescopes to observe the launch. This is the official (failed) launch footage:<br /> <a href="

<p>I'm not sure which camera system is used for long range tracking of these missions, but in the footage below from a similar (successful) launch in January, the camera tracked the rocket to an altitude of nearly 70 miles at a speed of 10,000 MPH. The only reference I can find were cameras from the Space Shuttle launches from Wikipedia.<br /> <a href="

<blockquote>

<p>KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Johnson Controls operator Kenny Allen works on the recently acquired Contraves-Goerz Kineto Tracking Mount (KTM). Trailer-mounted with a center console/seat and electric drive tracking mount, the KTM includes a two-camera, camera control unit that will be used during launches. The KTM is designed for remotely controlled operations and offers a combination of film, shuttered and high-speed digital video, and FLIR cameras configured with 20-inch to 150-inch focal length lenses. The KTMs are generally placed in the field and checked out the day before a launch and manned 3 hours prior to liftoff. There are 10 KTMs certified for use on the Eastern Range.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>NASA image, public domain:<br /> <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Contraves-Goerz_Kineto_Tracking_Mount.jpeg/640px-Contraves-Goerz_Kineto_Tracking_Mount.jpeg" alt="" width="640" height="425" /></p>

This looks like an update of what an L.A. Times photographer made to track rock rocket launches. He built his on a

surplus mobile anti-aircraft gun mount.

<p>The mount is a commercially available system. The telescops/lenses are probably from the same company. I hate to think how much it costs, especially since it's being bought by a government agency! <br>

http://www2.l-3com.com/ios/pdf/L-3%20Brashear%20Capabilities%20-%20Range%20Systems%2001-11-08.pdf</p>

<p>The scaled down, non-military version is around $600 - http://shop.vixenoptics.com/p/porta-ii-altazimuth-mount-with-motors</p>

<p>Thanks for that L-3 link to the .pdf file, Bob. Fascinating stuff! </p>

<p>That Vixen mount is inexpensive but won't have much payload capacity. Dual-fork mounts from Celestron or Meade are affordable enough for serious amateurs and this tracking software makes it possible to setup quite a usable target tracking system:<br>

<a href="http://www.optictracker.com/What_is_it.html">http://www.optictracker.com/What_is_it.html </a></p>