Fiber-Optic Rotary Joint for Passing High-Definition Video

A video camera has been integrated with a tracking pedestal (see figure) for tracking of aircraft and spacecraft. The camera is of a high-definition (1,280 × 720 pixels), progressive-scan, 60-frame-per-second digital type that conforms to NASA Standard 2818 (Digital Television Standards for NASA, a copy of which can be obtained via the Internet at standards/2818.pdf). The camera is mated to a 13.5-to-1,755-mm zoom lens, making it possible to track vehicles at distances up to 100 miles (≈160 km).