NASA Television Adds Telecast CopperHead Fiber Technology

NASA Television has upgraded its Kennedy Space Center operations for high-definition video. As part of this program, camera-mounted Telecast CopperHead G2 transceivers have been installed on Panasonic 720p HD cameras at several locations around the facility’s launch pad and other remote camera sites.

The CopperHeads will be used to transmit high-definition video via an existing fiber infrastructure to NTV base station locations, some as far away as 3.5 miles.

“As we moved to HD transmission for all of our broadcast feeds, it was critical that the new technologies utilize our existing fiber optic network to make the transition as smooth as possible,” said Kent Pontius of InDyne, the NASA contractor that is providing communications services for the Kennedy Space Center. “With the CopperHead G2 units, we’re able to provide the highest-quality HD feeds, even from long distances.”

Some of the new HD cameras are remotely controlled and the two-way fiber linkage allows remote adjustment of iris settings and other camera functions. A total of 11 cameras have been equipped with CopperHead G2 transceivers.