Space shuttle large format camera coverage of areas in Africa: A review of the mission and the photographs acquired

Abstract

Abstract During October, 1984, the United States Space Shuttle Challenger carried a large format cartographic camera for an engineering evaluation that took an excellent set of high resolution photographs of limited areas worldwide with many in Africa. The results of this experiment (for both worldwide coverage and African coverage) are reviewed. The coverage of Africa, the number of photographs taken, and the films used are all reviewed in detail. The very high quality of 78 percent of the photographs of Africa is discussed. Some present and anticipated uses are reviewed. Some examples of the photographs of Africa are reproduced to illustrate the characteristics of the photography.