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  Maurer Data Acquisition Camera (DAC)

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Author Topic:   Maurer Data Acquisition Camera (DAC)
SpaceAholic
Member

Posts: 4970
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 06-11-2016 12:14 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for SpaceAholic   Click Here to Email SpaceAholic     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
There is sparse information on the amazing Maurer data acquisition cameras, so thought it worthwhile to start this thread. Maurer cameras were utilized from Project Gemini through early into the Shuttle program and there have been several variants as the design and NASA's mission requirements evolved.

Below images capture two of these variants — the model 308A (further identified by its -217 part (specification) number suffix as an Apollo CM/LM extended duration "J-Mission" version); and its 308B cousin which saw use on Skylab (identified by its -211 part number suffix) and Shuttle. They are essentially identical — can you spot the primary difference between the two?

kyra
Member

Posts: 585
From: Louisville CO US
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 06-11-2016 11:29 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for kyra   Click Here to Email kyra     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The lowest setting on one 1 FPS, the other 2 FPS. Do I win one of them?

SpaceAholic
Member

Posts: 4970
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 06-11-2016 02:27 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for SpaceAholic   Click Here to Email SpaceAholic     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Yep... the third one.

SpaceAholic
Member

Posts: 4970
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 08-16-2017 11:23 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for SpaceAholic   Click Here to Email SpaceAholic     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Finally able to locate a 75mm Kern Switar mate (-302 variant) for the "J" mission DAC to include mirror mount adapter - pretty stoked. 75mm is a moderate telephoto lens that was swapped out with the standard 10mm and 18mm normally used by the Apollo crewmembers.

SpaceAholic
Member

Posts: 4970
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 11-24-2018 05:45 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for SpaceAholic   Click Here to Email SpaceAholic     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Addition of an 18mm to the DAC lens line up... the Kern manufactured lens was really the go to for internal and CSM to LM docking and also saw some lunar surface application.

Unaware of any other shots collectively depicting the core lenses (10mm, 25mm, 18mm and 75mm) used in conjunction with this camera so here they are. Still looking for the elusive 5mm produced by Fairchild and examples of those monster telephoto lens used in later missions (180 and 200mm):

DMScott
Member

Posts: 359
From: Lexington, MA, USA
Registered: Dec 2005

posted 11-25-2018 03:07 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for DMScott   Click Here to Email DMScott     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Scott, Amazing sub-collection here. Really appreciate you sharing with us. Jealous!

David Carey
Member

Posts: 921
From:
Registered: Mar 2009

posted 11-26-2018 12:06 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for David Carey   Click Here to Email David Carey     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Beautiful, Scott. The completist in me appreciates/admires your effort and great assemblage of an important part of photographic history.

space1
Member

Posts: 904
From: Danville, Ohio
Registered: Dec 2002

posted 11-26-2018 06:38 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for space1   Click Here to Email space1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Really nice. Just curious if you also have any of the DAC power cords or camera mounts? (After that would be the spacecraft, so I'll stop there.)

SpaceAholic
Member

Posts: 4970
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 11-26-2018 11:05 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for SpaceAholic   Click Here to Email SpaceAholic     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Power, remote shutter control cable, mounts, ring finder, and of course a magazine very much remain on my want list.

SpaceAholic
Member

Posts: 4970
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 12-03-2018 11:59 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for SpaceAholic   Click Here to Email SpaceAholic     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Nocsensi (an Italian website/Camera journal) in September published an article on the Kern lenses (in Italian of course).

SpaceAholic
Member

Posts: 4970
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 11-24-2019 02:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for SpaceAholic   Click Here to Email SpaceAholic     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
180mm added — the longest focal length lens developed by Kern for application with the DAC.

Tjindar
New Member

Posts: 1
From: Bagarmossen, Sweden
Registered: Dec 2021

posted 12-21-2021 03:57 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Tjindar   Click Here to Email Tjindar     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have a 9-27mm lens marked "NASA wide angle zoom" with a mount that looks like the Maurer lens mount. Did they ever make a zoom for this camera?

SpaceAholic
Member

Posts: 4970
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 12-21-2021 08:20 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for SpaceAholic   Click Here to Email SpaceAholic     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Not for the Apollo Lunar program, possibly for Skylab or an early Shuttle application.

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