A catastrophic-event survivable video data recording system that may be employed to monitor vehicles or facilities. The recording system may include a video data compression unit operable to provide compressed digital video data in a format recordable by modified commercially available flight data recording instruments. Among other things, the system may be used to monitor vehicles, as well as land-based or sea-based facilities. The system may also be employed as an aid to research into natural and man made phenomena, such as volcanic eruptions, bomb test explosions, etc.