NASA almost cut cameras from Artemis moon mission, exec says

"'Without those visuals, the mission isn't real,' Gold said. 'We can't all be astronauts, but with the cameras, we're able to take the whole world on the mission.'"

"'Mass and energy are at an absolute premium,' he said. 'You have to argue relative to scientific value... for what are visuals?'"

"'We built 11 cameras, external and internal, and they are critical not just for visuals, but for spacecraft operations, because you need to see what's happening in case of any anomalies or problems.'"

"'With Artemis, humans will literally go where no one has gone before.'"

Mike Gold, president of Redwire Space, advocated for the inclusion of cameras on the Artemis mission despite initial resistance from engineers. They believed cameras would take up valuable weight and power needed for essential systems. Gold argued that visuals were crucial for the mission's authenticity and for monitoring spacecraft operations. Ultimately, NASA leadership agreed, leading to the installation of 11 cameras that provide real-time footage from deep space, marking a significant moment in human space exploration since 1972.

Read at Mail Online