Specifically, first image of the full disk of Earth from space (Russian Molniya satellite, 1966-05-30), unless you count the first photo from orbit (Explorer VI, 1959-08-14; turned out poor but technically shows the entire sunlit portion). It was superseded quickly by Earthrise (Lunar Orbiter I, 1966-08-23, first pic of Earth from near another astronomical object), and this first geostationary orbit image (ATS-1, 1966-12-11).
It was really hard to get the early spacecraft to not spin uncontrollably, so even short exposures look blurry.
Yes, a bit of a letdown but it was 7 years before the next 3, and shortly after Vanguard 2, the first SSTV scanner camera in space, which failed to align to its target latitude of 40°N to 50°N so I couldn’t find any images - presumably only incoherent lines of image data were received that could not be assembled into a 2D picture. Getting SSTV to work was so difficult that they used to make weather and recon satellites single-use: wind film into a shielded box and deorbit.
Yup, disappointing especially considering it cost way more than a simple 1940s rocket+camera that took decent pics of land thousands of kilometers wide
Specifically, first image of the full disk of Earth from space (Russian Molniya satellite, 1966-05-30), unless you count the first photo from orbit (Explorer VI, 1959-08-14; turned out poor but technically shows the entire sunlit portion). It was superseded quickly by Earthrise (Lunar Orbiter I, 1966-08-23, first pic of Earth from near another astronomical object), and this first geostationary orbit image (ATS-1, 1966-12-11).
It does not take much to reach space (100 km) so a camera was launched there as early as 1946. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_first_images_of_Earth_from_space
That first photo is shit lol
How many photos have you taken from space?
I think the disclaimer was op acknowledging that it looks like shit
It was really hard to get the early spacecraft to not spin uncontrollably, so even short exposures look blurry.
Yes, a bit of a letdown but it was 7 years before the next 3, and shortly after Vanguard 2, the first SSTV scanner camera in space, which failed to align to its target latitude of 40°N to 50°N so I couldn’t find any images - presumably only incoherent lines of image data were received that could not be assembled into a 2D picture. Getting SSTV to work was so difficult that they used to make weather and recon satellites single-use: wind film into a shielded box and deorbit.
(I had to. I had to.)
Yup, disappointing especially considering it cost way more than a simple 1940s rocket+camera that took decent pics of land thousands of kilometers wide