posted 03-31-2009 10:21 AM               

Olympus Launches 'Space Project' On Shuttle's Next Mission To International Space Station

Olympus E-3 DSLR to Capture Earth's Beauty from Space Station, Raise Awareness for Environmental Protection

Olympus Corporation commemorates its 90th anniversary by creating the 'Olympus Space Project' to photograph the majestic beauty of our planet and raise awareness to protect it. The company's flagship E-3 digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera and ZUIKO digital lenses will journey to the International Space Station (ISS) on the next Space Shuttle Discovery mission.

Dr. Koichi Wakata, a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut, will take images of the earth with the Olympus E-3 throughout his three-month mission on the ISS. Specifically, he will stay in the "Kibo," which is the Japanese Experiment Module. It is located in the ISS and is Japan's first manned facility where astronauts can conduct experiments for long periods of time. 'Hope' is the English translation for Kibo, and Dr. Wakata will be the first astronaut to inhabit the new experiment module. Images captured by Dr. Wakata will be available on Olympus' Web site.

"For 90 years we've continued to develop innovative products that help improve peoples' lives every day - from capturing memories to documenting environmental changes," said F. Mark Gumz, president, Olympus Imaging America Inc. "Olympus cameras are used by the National Park Service to track air quality at our nation's parks and by wildlife photographer Mitsuaki Iwago, whose images focus on global environmental issues and nature preservation. We're taking this commitment to the next level by capturing our planet's delicate beauty from space."

Designed for professional and aspiring photographers, the E-3 offers amazing image quality, splashproof and dustproof durability, and a magnesium-alloy body that survives the toughest shooting environments. The E-3 complies with NASA's standards for use in space. Olympus continues to be an innovator, developing new technologies to expand the frontiers of digital photography and leading where others have followed. Proof that Olympus enables consumers to capture it all.

posted 03-31-2009 10:29 AM               

As part of its space expedition initiative, Olympus will announce a commemorative set of transparent lens caps and camera strap specially designed for Wakata to bring up into space. The company explained to CNET Asia that the see-through lens cap will enable Wakata to evaluate if the lens has been damaged should it be subjected to impact. This will prevent shards of glass from floating around the space station, which could happen if the usual opaque lens cap is used and the photographer cannot see the extent of the damage to the optics.

Olympus commented that the Space Commemorative Kit will be produced in limited quantities, and will probably be launched after Wakata returns to Earth a few months later. The company was unable to confirm how much it'll cost or where it will be available.

posted 03-31-2009 10:00 PM               

The same could be said, for example, of Seiko's watch for Richard Garriott. The Spacewalk Spring Drive itself wasn't the focus as much as Seiko, the brand, was.

Rather than product placement, its brand placement.