ShunCheung Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 On January 30, NASA sent 13 Nikon Z9 cameras, 15 Nikkor Z lenses and 15 FTZii adapters onto the International Space Station. The Z9 are replacing the D5 and D6 that were in use since 2017. (The D5 was introduced in 2016 and the D6 in 2020.) https://www.nikon.com/company/news/2024/0207_mirrorless_03.html NASA first used Nikon cameras back in 1971 with a special edition of the Nikon F on an Apollo 15 mission that went to the moon: https://www.nikonlenswear.com/why-nikon/nikon-with-nasa/ 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_bouknight1 Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 (edited) Seems like plenty of them, why 13? Maybe all 13 are not going up at one time. Edited February 7 by robert_bouknight1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CvhKaar Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 mm 13 Z9 and 15 lenses lost forever ? 😎 They must have also a collection of older lenses up there otherwise they would not need all the FTn adapters i guess.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels - NHSN Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 I was aware of the Nikon/NASA relationship from the film era, but not that it continued into the digital era. Does anyone know if this is an exclusive relationship with NASA or if other manufactures also have cameras on board on recent NASA missions (I'm thinking about cameras operated in human hands)? BTW. It reminds me of the ad below. I find it interesting because it is from around 1980. That was the era of Nikon F2 and F3, yet it shows a modified Nikon F. Apparently NASA used the Nikon F throughout the 1970's and skipped the F2, and at the time of the ad, the F3 wasn't space ready yet. I also notice the following wording "Nikon has never failed on a NASA space mission.... Or Jammed." (my emphasis). I imagine this is a friendly poke at Hasselblad and their infamous tendency to jam. Niels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 I believe all 13 Z9 plus lenses and FTZ went into orbit on January 30. Not sure why they need so many, but I am sure they have plenty of backups. I wonder why they need 15 FTZii. Back in the 1970’s, NASA used Hasselblad and Nikon cameras. I don’t think it is an exclusive relationship now, but it is super inconvenient to have incompatible cameras and lenses. I doubt that NASA also uses another brand now. https://www.nikonusa.com/en/about-nikon/press-room/press-release/lptu8tto/NIKON-Z-9-GOES-TO-SPACE:-SPACE-STATION-ASTRONAUTS-RECEIVE-NIKON’S-FLAGSHIP-FULL-FRAME-MIRRORLESS-CAMERA.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hapien Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 oh, I have F65 that has tendency to jam, all other nikons not yet jammed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Doo Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 On 2/7/2024 at 12:36 PM, ShunCheung said: On January 30, NASA sent 13 Nikon Z9 cameras, 15 Nikkor Z lenses and 15 FTZii adapters onto the International Space Station. The Z9 are replacing the D5 and D6 that were in use since 2017. (The D5 was introduced in 2016 and the D6 in 2020.) Great news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels - NHSN Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 On 2/8/2024 at 4:49 PM, hapien said: oh, I have F65 that has tendency to jam, all other nikons not yet jammed 😆 Yeah. I don't think NASA used many F65's. Niels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted February 9 Author Share Posted February 9 This is the back side of a 1988 Nikon N8008 (F801) brochure. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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