In a surprising turn during Apollo 12's live color Moon broadcast in 1969, astronaut Alan Bean inadvertently aimed the new color camera at the Sun. This mishap caused irreversible damage to the camera's sensitive vidicon tube, abruptly terminating the live feed. While the mission was captured through still photographs, the vibrant color broadcast was tragically lost. Subsequently, NASA revised its camera protocols to prevent similar incidents on future lunar missions.
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August 23, 2026 at 10:30 AM
Alan Bean pointed Apollo 12’s camera at the sun and lost NASA’s live moon feed
TOI Lifestyle