First Earthrise Photo Taken 46 Years Ago Today
“46 Years ago today, on 23 August 1966, Lunar Orbiter 1 snapped the first photo of Earth as seen from lunar orbit. While a remarkable image at the time, the full resolution of the image was never retrieved from the data stored from the mission. In 2008, this earthrise image was restored by the Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project. We obtained the original data tapes from the mission (the last surviving set) and restored original FR-900 tape drives to operational condition using both 60s era parts and modern electronics.”

Biologist, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA Space Biologist and Payload integrator, Editor of NASAWatch.com and Astrobiology.com, Lapsed climber, Explorer, Synaesthete, Former Challenger Center board member...

11 replies on “Earthrise + 46 Years”

      1. How to get a tour of McMoon’s? I have a robotics class that visits for LUNAR launches once or twice a year.

  2. I got a brief tour when I stopped at the place couple years ago. I forgot his name, an older guy but he showed me the equipment and described how it works (interesting combination of 60s vintage alongside modern computers). And the tape canisters stacked where there used to be burgers and fries. 

    Regarding earthrise photo, Orbiters were the first but it was Apollo 8 that captured the public’s attention. Higher res helped but somehow the latter had a metaphysical human quality attached to those images. I’d not be surprised a huge value of these restored images is for lunar geologists to see surface changes since then.

    1. Michael,

      Agreed, the Apollo 8 Earthrise photo was the number one stunner.  I remember having to be told to close my mouth; it was hanging open and I was too mesmerized to notice.  If we had seen this LO1 Earthrise in high-res and color when it was taken though, I think it clearly would have been the greatest photograph of all time.

      Great work guys.

      Steve

  4. Thanks folks.  We have several hundred restored images in our pipeline right now and we will be doing a lot more over the next couple of months, including some wow images that have never been seen in their true glory.

  5. It’s so three-dimensional. Looking at the high-res version the first thing that came to mind was the opening credits scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

  6. Keith and Dennis,  I also want to thank you (and all who were involved past and present) for doing this. Preserving our space heritage is important work.

    1. It is like having a time machine that lets us visit another time. Lots of work – but lots of fun too.

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