Camera, Television, Lunar Rover #4, Apollo, Mock-up

RCA designed color television cameras like this one primarily for use on the Apollo lunar rovers. For astronauts on Apollo missions 15, 16, and 17, cameras like this mock-up version were stored in an equipment bay in the lunar module (LM) descent stages. Mission commanders unpacked the cameras and put them on tripods to record early lunar activities such as the unloading of the rover from the LM.

Once attached to the lunar rovers, these television cameras could transmit footage directly to Earth via the Lunar Communications Relay Unit (an antenna) and using the power sources aboard the rovers. Researchers and scientists back on Earth could even remotely-control the television cameras to examine the lunar surface for themselves and track the astronauts as they explored.

NASA transferred this mock-up camera to the Museum in 1975 with Lunar Roving Vehicle #4.