NASA: Artemis II

First Crewed Lunar Mission in 50 Years

The Artemis II mission is the second integrated test of NASA’s deep space exploation systems: The Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the ground systems at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. Artemis II is the first crewed lunar flyby mission in over 50 years and launched on April 1, 2026 with four brave astronauts.

Imperx Bobcat cameras captured high-resolution video of the launch and historic videos of the SLS rocket booster separation once they reached orbit.

Astronauts Aboard the Artemis II

Commander Reid Wiseman: Former Chief of the NASA Astronaut Office

Pilot Victor Glover: Former US Navy Captain & first person of color to orbit the Moon

Mission Specialist Christina Koch: NASA astronaut & first woman to orbit the Moon

Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen: CSA astronaut & first Canadian to orbit the Moon

Artemis II Mission: In-Flight Metrics

Eight Custom Imperx Bobcat CCD Cameras

SLS Rocket Monitoring

Eight Imperx Bobcat cameras were positioned on the exterior core of the SLS rocket to capture imagery of the four RS-25 engines to ensure proper performance during launch.

1st Stage Booster Separation Dynamics

Imperx cameras tracked the exact physical clearance and release metrics and tracked the release metrics of the 1st stage booster separation of the Orion Spacecraft

Plume & Propulsion Uniformity

Imperx cameras monitored the hybrid rocket motor ignition, burn duration, and exhaust plume shape to measure the engine efficiency and safety.

Imperx Bobcat CCD Cameras

Developed In Partnership with NASA

Ruggedized Construction:

The Imperx Bobcat cameras were built with patented NASA ruggedized housing to withstand extreme temperatures of -40°C to +85°C, extreme shock, and intense vibrations of up to >1000G/100G during launch. It also boasts a MTBF of >660,000 hours at 40°C and is MIL-STD-810G certified.

High Definition Sensors & Optical Format:

They featured an interline transfer CCD sensors including the ON Semi KAI-2093 & KAI-011050, along with a 1 inch and 1/2 inch optical format.

High Resolution Video & Performance:

The cameras have a digital HD-SDI interface(SMPTE 292, 1080i/1080p) with full HD. They handled 60 frames per second with a 14-bit internal data processor, equipped with 8, 10, 12, or 14 bit outputs.

Electrical Resilience:

NASA incorporated an internal heater and custom LED illumination ring to ensure consistent lighting dark phases of stage separation. It was built with a compact housing measuring a modest 46 x 46x 62.25 mm, with a weight of about 250 grams. It also had a low power consumption of 4.8W.