Pentax reaches new heights as a 14-year-old lens is launched into space

Kitsune 6U CubeSat
(Image credit: Digital Camera Watch)

A Pentax lens released in 2008 is being sent to space attached to a CubeSat satellite to take photos of the Earth. The telephoto lens, which is popular among bird and wildlife photographers, made the cut thanks to a few very important features. 

The Kitsune CubeSat is a miniature satellite for space exploration and is a class of spacecraft known as a nanosatellite. Kitsune is a satellite developed by Haradaseiki Kogyo, Addnics Corporation and the Kyushu Institute of Technology. The 6U CubeSat will carry onboard a high-resolution camera with a Pentax SMC DA 300mm f/4 ED IF SDM LENS.

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Hannah Rooke
Staff Writer

Having studied Journalism and Public Relations at the University of the West of England Hannah developed a love for photography through a module on photojournalism. She specializes in Portrait, Fashion and lifestyle photography but has more recently branched out in the world of stylized product photography. For the last 3 years Hannah has worked at Wex Photo Video as a Senior Sales Assistant using her experience and knowledge of cameras to help people buy the equipment that is right for them. With 5 years experience working with studio lighting, Hannah has run many successful workshops teaching people how to use different lighting setups.