From the Moon to Camera Repair: What the Apollo Space Missions Teach Us

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For my ongoing project - investigation of the faulty aperture control of a Minolta 7000 AF and subsequent repair - I thought again about the NASA Apollo space missions in the 1960s and early 1970s.

The gradual approach to the Moon landing in several missions, during which materials, processes and even the crews were tested and improved, until the goal of entering the Moon and returning safely to Earth was achieved by Apollo XI.

A great moment for mankind




The goal of the repair mission: a repaired and fully functional camera.


From the Moon to Camera Repair

If my goal as a DIY repairman is not to reach the Moon and return safely back to Earth, then I do want to be able to disassemble my camera, repair it and put it back together safely.

As with the Apollo program, with complex cameras such as the Minolta 7000 AF, this is unlikely to work on the first mission and should therefore not even be attempted.




A big moment: the landing capsule has separated from the mother ship. Will repair and reassembly be successful?


At least one training mission

should be completed beforehand in order to gain experience, identify possible errors and adjust the repair process accordingly.

A good option for this is to use an abandoned camera of the same type, which you then treat as if it were the camera you want to repair.

This takes time and energy and if you are driven by the urge to act, it is not easier.

You will then be rewarded with a greater chance of success or you will not undertake the mission at all because it requires further preparation.

Will my current repair mission succeed?

Only the Moon knows