RCA’s First Color Portable…Sort Of

Although not a product of the RCA Broadcast Electronics Division, this portable color mini camera, as it turns out, was developed by RCA’s Astro Electronics Division.

The Astro Electronics Division of RCA was formed in 1958 and was responsible for building SCORE…the world’s first communications satellite, five years before Telstar. Project SCORE (Signal Communications by Orbiting Relay Equipment) was launched on December 18, 1958, and placed the United States at an even technological par with the Soviet Union as a highly functional response to the Sputnik satellites.

It captured world attention by broadcasting a Christmas message via shortwave radio from President Dwight D. Eisenhower through an on-board tape recorder.

At the link above you can hear the message on a WBAI Radio newscast. The first transmitted message from space to Earth was:
“This is the President of the United States speaking. Through the marvels of scientific advance, my voice is coming to you from a satellite circling in outer space. My message is a simple one… through this unique means I convey to you and to all mankind, America’s wish for peace on Earth and goodwill toward men everywhere.”

This camera was developed in 1967 for use on the moon missions. It used three 25 mm vidicon tubes, the same electrostatic types used in the RCA TK-27 film chain cameras to reduce power consumption.

This caption, and the text blocks below are from a 1967
“RCA Engineer” magazine article. The photo caption reads: “An engineer at the RCA Astro-Electronics Division, Princeton N.J., exits from a space simulation chamber carrying the smallest compatible color television camera ever developed. Designed by RCA for use in space exploration and related aerospace ground support activities.”

Thanks to our friend Jay Ballard for pointing us in the right direction.
Enjoy and share! – Bobby Ellerbee

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