Imperx On the Artemis II Flight
April 1, 2026, Boca Raton, Florida
Back in 2022, Imperx cameras were chosen to accompany the Artemis I on the first step of NASA’s mission to explore the Moon’s lunar surface. Recently, with Artemis II, Imperx made a comeback. The Artemis I mission marked a major step toward establishing a sustained human presence on the lunar surface, and Imperx cameras supported critical observations during that flight test. The Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System (SLS) recently carried a crew of 4 astronauts in its orbit of the moon and Imperx cameras were on board with them, marking yet another milestone.
The Artemis II flight was an approximate 10-day mission designed to rigorously assess system performance in preparation for future lunar landings. Imperx’s role was to provide NASA with cameras that could withstand the trials of outer space and the Orion spacecraft takeoff. These cameras were commissioned to verify the separation dynamics of the boosters as well as when the core stage breaks from the upper stage. To fulfill this purpose, there are 8 cameras in all, placed in different areas of the rocket. Imperx cameras were placed on the core stage, the engine, the intertank, and the interior.
In the search for space cameras, NASA required ruggedized SDI cameras, similar to Military off the Shelf (MOTS) cameras, that could take the harsh conditions of space. Cameras that could take temperatures of -40° C to 85° C and vibrations of the spaceship on takeoff. These cameras, of the Bobcat line, are proven to take the
extremes of a rocket entering space. They utilize KAI-2093 and KAI-011050 sensors with 1” and 1/2” optical formats. As for mean times between failures, reliability was critical. Imperx delivered with an impressive MTBF over 660,000 hour at 40° C. Pixel sizes 5.5 and 7.4 μm along with FPS rates up to 60.
While the SDI cameras were chosen for these specs, Imperx was chosen for their customizations. At Imperx, customizations are a staple, especially with aerospace applications. The Imperx team worked with NASA to make cameras to meet their standards and the durability required for the Artemis II mission. That durability was proven, as those cameras stood the test of time and space and delivered with the footage that is so integral NASA’s mission and calculations.
Check out what Imperx cameras captured here and read Artemis II updates here!
For more information about Imperx’s broad portfolio of reliable and ruggedized cameras, visit www.imperx.com or contact [email protected] to discuss a customized solution for your application.
Imperx is a leading global designer and manufacturer of superior quality digital imaging products and software. With headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida and a distribution network that spans the globe, Imperx provides high reliability, ruggedized and customized imaging solutions worldwide in aerospace, machine vision, transportation, engineered systems, and automation. Sign up for the Imperx newsletter at www.imperx.com.
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Talisa Roberts
Imperx
