yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (11/22/89)
[Everything you ever wanted to know about shooting tomorrow's launch. -PEY]
Bruce Buckingham
Kennedy Space Center, Florida Nov. 21, 1989
KSC RELEASE NO. 120-89
PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPOSURE GUIDELINES FOR NIGHT SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCHES
The launch of STS-33 will offer a unique and challenging
opportunity to photographers as the Space Shuttle lifts off from
Kennedy Space Center in darkness. The launch period of STS-33 has
been established to be between the hours of 6:30 p.m.- 10:30 p.m.
on Nov. 22. Sunset on that day will be about 5:30 p.m.
This is the first nighttime launch of the Space Shuttle
since Mission 61-B in November 1985. Due to the unusual lighting
situations on the pad at the time of launch and the enormous
burst of illumination at the time of ignition, questions have
been raised regarding proper exposure times, aperture settings
and film types.
Specifically, on launch pad 39-B the Space Shuttle is
illuminated by 31 daylight-balanced xenon searchlights. Light
levels are 200 foot-candles with a color temperature of 6000K up
until the time the main engines are ignited. Daylight balanced
films are recommended.
The following film and exposure tables provide some general
guidance for photographing the shuttle at night. Table I provides
guidelines prior to ignition with the illumination of the xenon
lights. (Brand names are used only as a reference.)
TABLE I
SHUTTLE ON PAD AT NIGHT PRIOR TO IGNITION (WITH XENON LIGHTS)
FILM TYPE ISO/ASA SHUTTER f/STOP
Plus-X 125 1/60 4.0
Tri-X/T-Max 400 1/125 4.5
Kodak Gold 100 1/60 3.5
Kodak Gold 200 1/125 3.5
Kodak Gold 400 1/125 4.5
Ekta-Press 1600 1/250 6.3
Ekta/Kodachrome 64 1/30 4.0
Ekta/Kodachrome 200 1/125 3.5
Ektachrome 1600 1/250 6.3
Immediately following SRB ignition until the time the
vehicle clears the top of the launch tower, illumination will
consist of both the xenon searchlights and reflected flame from
the main engines and twin solid rocket boosters. Light levels
will rapidly rise to about 1000 foot-candles during this five or
six second period. Table II lists exposures using the maximum
light level.
TABLE II
SHUTTLE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING LIFTOFF AND PRIOR TO CLEARING
THE LAUNCH TOWER
(WITH XENON LIGHTS AND FLAME REFLECTION)
FILM TYPE ISO/ASA SHUTTER f/STOP
Plus-X 125 1/250 4.5
Tri-X/T-Max 400 1/250 8.0
Kodak Gold 100 1/250 4.0
Kodak Gold 200 1/250 5.6
Kodak Gold 400 1/250 8.0
Ekta-Press 1600 1/250 16.0
Ekta/Kodachrome 64 1/125 4.5
Ekta/Kodachrome 200 1/250 5.6
Ektachrome 1600 1/250 16.0
After the Space Shuttle has cleared the tower, the only
source of light will be from the reflected flame itself. Light
levels of the reflective flame will be about 4,500 foot-candles
but only a portion of the orbiter's engines will be visible.
Table III provides guidelines for photographers after the
Shuttle has cleared the tower through solid rocket booster
burnout.
TABLE III
AFTER SHUTTLE HAS CLEARED THE TOWER THROUGH SRB BURNOUT
(WITH FLAME REFLECTION ONLY)
FILM TYPE ISO/ASA SHUTTER f/STOP
Plus-X 125 1/125 11.0
Tri-X/T-Max 400 1/250 16.0
Kodak Gold 100 1/125 11.0
Kodak Gold 200 1/250 11.0
Kodak Gold 400 1/250 16.0
Ekta-Press 1600 1/1000 22.0
Ekta/Kodachrome 64 1/125 9.0
Ekta/Kodachrome 200 1/250 11.0
Ektachrome 1600 1/1000 22.0
Streak exposures may be taken to show the shuttle's long,
arcing path over the Atlantic Ocean east of the pad. For this, it
is best to frame the shuttle on the pad low in the frame using a
relatively wide lens. Lock the shutter open for the duration of
the exposure.
The following table offers suggested f/stops for specified
films and their ISO/ASA settings with the shutter open.
TABLE IV
STREAK EXPOSURE (OPEN SHUTTER)
FILM TYPE ISO/ASA SHUTTER f/STOP
Plus-X 125 open 5.6
Tri-X/T-Max 400 open 9.0
Kodak Gold 100 open 5.6
Kodak Gold 200 open 6.3
Kodak Gold 400 open 9.0
Ekta-Press 1600 open 18.0
Ekta/Kodachrome 64 open 4.0
Ekta/Kodachrome 200 open 6.3
Ektachrome 1600 open 18.0
The exposure guidelines listed in these tables may require
some adjustment to account for variations in cameras and film
processing. The tables were developed by Bruce Hoover,
Photographic Planner assigned to TGS Technology, Inc., the prime
photographic contractor at KSC.