Kodak’s "Pre-Invented" Lunar Orbiter Camera; Or, The Fate of SAMOS Readout
Summary
The article explores Kodak’s Lunar Orbiter camera and the SAMOS readout, tracing its clandestine origins in WS-117L and its evolution from military reconnaissance tech to a tool for lunar mapping. It discusses the readout approach, the Bimat film, and the shift in NASA/DOD strategy, culminating in Lunar Orbiter imagery that aided Apollo site selection and cartography.