Nasa camera melts during a SpaceX launch – and films the entire thing

On May 22, a SpaceX launch completely toasted a high-tech Canon DSLR camera from a quarter of a mile away.

Now, NASA has released more details about what exactly happened to the disfigured piece of kit.

The space and aeronautics agency's official photographer Bill Ingalls was tasked with photographing the launch that day.

He has 30 years of experience working for the aeronautics agency, and he knows exactly where to set up his cameras.

However, there was nothing he could have done to save this piece of kit. In a post on NASA's website, Ingalls explains what happened:

I had six remotes, two outside the launch pad safety perimeter and four inside. Unfortunately, the launch started a grass fire that toasted one of the cameras outside the perimeter.

Despite the casing getting fried, the microchip was magically saved, and the footage recorded has been made into a gif.

Bill Ingalls / NASA 

Ironically, the cameras that were positioned closer to the launch were completely fine. The problem for this camera was that it was surrounded by heavy foliage, which essentially became a fire hazard.

It's not completely clear what will happen to the camera next - but NASA suggests it could go on display in their headquarters in Washington DC.

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