Some unfortunate news: due to copyright issues, JAXA will not distribute on the Web the full resolution HD movies taken by Kaguya .

See their FAQ (if you manage to understand the poor Japanese-to-English translation).

http://www.selene.jaxa.jp/en/communication/com_faq_e.htm

That is unfortunate and quite a loss to the PR effect in the rest of the world, IMHO. Giving a broadcasting corporation copyright for the hires footage seems weird. Did they sponsor or make the HDTV camera?

That is unfortunate indeed. I hope there are strong responses both here and elsewhere that lead to a change of thinking.

Without knowing the underlying reasons for this decision, I don't think we should be judging it. After all, we're lucky we even saw TV footage from the moon, all of that could be regarded as a gesture of good will on the mission's behalf. Personally, though, I wasn't pleased when I found out the HDTV exclusive would go to Discovery Channel. Why have "exclusives" in the first place? Why not just show the entire world? Could the entire camera be on a profit-based reasoning, selling HDTV footage at a nice price?

I have a DIVX of one of them already. It's neive to imagine they won't get online quickly. The grim reality of it is this - if JAXA don't release it via the web on their own terms, in top notch quality - then it will end up being distributed as dodgy quality DIV-X's without people being particularly aware of where it's come from and how. They've missed a trick there. We've had some cool stills, and some cool low res movies - perhaps lots of Yen are involved in some way - but it's a fairly short sighted way of doing things.

Doug

Perhaps we here are biased in this regard, but my opinion is widely distributing awesome, high-res footage like this would only help boost Japan's space program in the public minds and hence result in additional funding. That's a good thing, right?
Let's face it, people are suckers for this kind of media. Freely publishing say gamma-ray spectrometer readings of the moon, while at the same time keeping gems like these proprietary is a questionable move indeed. Granted, other scientific instruments have proprietary periods for their PIs to work on the data, but this is simply a Kodak moment camera so what is to be gained by keeping the stuff for themselves?

I'm surprised. I would have expected most here to be in favor of
the commercialization/popularization of space exploration. I don't
think you can have one without the other. If sponsorship of an
HDTV helps pay for a mission that also happens to perform useful
science, what's wrong with that?

Well - to assume this is a commercialisation issue is to make assumptions about the camera, its funding, its contribution to the spacecraft as a whole and what the reasoning behind the decision is.

If a corporation funds an instrument, but releases half a dozen stills and a 1/5th res movie....then you have to wonder what the point is in sending the full res camera in the first place? Clearly in this instance, commercialisation and popularisation are at odds with one another.

Doug

You think the amount of money gained by sponsorship is anywhere near enough to boost the entire mission? I'm guessing it's not. In the end it probably just covers its own cost of adding another instrument camera, its integration & testing, etc. Someone said here other scientists were actually opposed to flying this camera at all so there's probably more to this story than meets the eye.

I'm gonna take a WAG & speculate that NHK purchased exclusive distro rights for the HDTV products as a condition of its support so that it can construct some sort of product for its own marketing: TV special, IMAX-style movie, something like that. So, we'll see it all, but probably not till well after the iron has grown cold...

I don't know why a commercial enterprise would have exclusive rights,
but I expect that there is an advantage to JAXA. And what's good for
JAXA is good for space exploration, right? The benefit may be tiny, but
all journeys begin with one step. If ten years from now, JAXA launches
the first wholly sponsored lunar rover, who will complain?

As to quality of released video, I would hope that Discovery Channel will
make make good use of high quality images for some great programming
that will reach the masses. Perhaps there could be pay per view available
on the Discovery Channel web site. Or even free, with adverts paying.
I for one find this exciting if indeed it is a first step to greater corporate
sponsorship of space exploration.

If my (and I thought everyone's) hopes are true concerning corporate
sponsorship of space exploration, the iron is just heating up!!!

There's corporate sponsorship and then there's corporate sponsorship. It's short sighted to automatically assume it's a good thing in every situation.

In this situation, we have some awesome high res stills, some awesome low res movies, and then if you look hard enough, DIVX's of the high res footage as well. Eventually, I'm sure, the footage will creap out at good quality. I don't have an HDTV, I don't intend getting an HDTV for a few years, so if all they're going to do is broadcast it on Discovery HD - I'm not going to see it. Kaguya is happening now - they should be sharing that awesome footage with everyone now as well. I'm hoping to do a new talk based on this Lunar Flotilla that's setting out, but to not have this awesome footage to show to people, knowing it's sat on HDD's somewhere, that's frustrating beyond belief.

If a commercial operation want's to do this sort of stuff on a governmental vehicle, then it needs to do it with entirely good intentions. Put your name on it, copyright it, use it for advertising...but keep it to yourself? My feet are in the 'for all mankind' camp rather than the 'for all our shareholders' camp I'm afraid.

Doug

One thing I wonder - is the broadcasting company going to try to keep them off the web indefinitely, or are they holding them back long enough so that they can show the best footage first. Not knowing anything about Japanese television, it is hard to tell.

Even if not well executed (in some opinions) at least it's something to build on.
I can only hope that whatever Discovery Channel uses the video for is very successful
and results in increased sponsorship in the future.

This may be similar to the music download situation where for a time music enthusiasts
were spoiled with a treasure of free music online and revolted when asked to pay.
A balance has to be found between free and paid material if sponsorship is to be involved.

The space enthusiasts may be upset by production delays, but in the end the
mission's appeal to the masses will be enhanced by the finished product, not
diminished. (Of course, I'm making assumptions about the product.) I do think
high quality images should be available on line in a controlled manner. These
are the things that need to be worked out as sponsorship of space exploration
grows (hopefully).