An Experimental Photo-Tape Slit Camera System

The basic principles and advantages of recording and storing optical images in the form of equivalent electrical charge patterns on a special kind of flexible tape are presented. An experimental model of a slit-type camera system is described which was designed to demonstrate the feasibility of this method of recording. This type of camera system is particularly well suited to the recording of images of the earth's cloud cover from an orbiting satellite. Storing these images temporarily and reading them out in the form of a video signal when the satellite is near a ground station completes a cycle of operations. Results of preliminary tests are reported which verify the validity of the basic concepts involved in this kind of video recording system.