Japan’s planned mission to Mars in 2024 will use both 4K and 8K cameras from NHK to film the red planet.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, plans to launch its probe Martian Moons eXploration, or MMX, in the fiscal year beginning in April 2024.
The probe will approach Mars and observe its two moons, Phobos and Deimos. It will land on Phobos to collect surface samples and take them back to Earth.
“JAXA and NHK aim to take the world’s first 8K images of Mars and its moons by utilising the expertise accumulated through the past cooperation,” the Japanese space agency said in a statement.
“In addition, JAXA and NHK aim to visualise the actual behaviour of the spacecraft with the Super Hi-Vision Camera, providing a high level of reality by combining the 4K/8K images and MMX’s flight data. These can also be used for the operation of the spacecraft.”
NHK and JAXA are jointly developing ultra-high-definition 8K and 4K cameras to be installed on the probe. The cameras will be given treatment to protect them from radiation.
Some of the images taken by the cameras will be sent to Earth and original footage will be digitally stored in a capsule that will eventually return to Earth.
