NASA Releases Lost Apollo 11 Video Final Report, Apollo Lunar Camera Developer, Lebar, Dies Same Day

[Wilms]

The Apollo 11 Telemetry Data Recordings: A Final Report

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Over the ensuing years, Goddard recalled them and either reused the one-inch tapes to meet a network shortage in the early 1980s or disposed of them because of the high cost of storing them. At no time did anyone recognize the unique content on roughly 45 tapes containing the actual moonwalk video. At no time did anyone ever consider what could be possible nearly 40 years into the future with the advent of new technology.

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http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=33077

Full Report (.pdf): http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/398311main_Apollo_11_Report.pdf


Stan Lebar, Apollo Lunar Camera Developer, 1925-2009

Stan Lebar, who led the development of the Apollo lunar camera used to transmit live television from the surface of the Moon, died on Tuesday, December 22, of a cardiac arrest after a 17-year battle with cancer. He was 84.

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Most recently, Lebar helped lead NASA's search for the original Apollo 11 telemetry tapes in the hopes of using them to produce a clearer, higher-resolution version of the television images that his camera transmitted back to Earth. The tapes believed all-but-certainly lost, Lebar helped oversee NASA's effort to restore the best quality recordings available of the Apollo 11 moonwalk.

This past July, Lebar's son, Scott, recounted his father's words for the Sacramento Bee explaining that the restored footage would complete his legacy:

"For me, that's like the last piece of the puzzle, and I've done what I felt was important. To pass on the best version of the telecast for posterity that will be shown and viewed for hundreds of years into the future."

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http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum38/HTML/001104.html