A low cost thermal infrared hyperspectral imager for small satellites

S. T. Crites; P. G. Lucey; R. Wright; H. Garbeil; K. A. Horton; M. Wood

doi:10.1117/12.918984

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24 May 2012 A low cost thermal infrared hyperspectral imager for small satellites

S. T. Crites, P. G. Lucey, R. Wright, H. Garbeil, K. A. Horton, M. Wood

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Proceedings Volume 8385, Sensors and Systems for Space Applications V; 838509 (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.918984
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2012, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Abstract

The growth of the small satellite market and launch opportunities for these satellites is creating a new niche for earth observations that contrasts with the long mission durations, high costs, and long development times associated with traditional space-based earth observations. Low-cost, short-lived missions made possible by this new approach provide an experimental platform for testing new sensor technologies that may transition to larger, more long-lived platforms. The low costs and short lifetimes also increase acceptable risk to sensors, enabling large decreases in cost using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) parts and allowing early-career scientists and engineers to gain experience with these projects. We are building a low-cost long-wave infrared spectral sensor, funded by the NASA Experimental Project to Stimulate Competitive Research program (EPSCoR), to demonstrate ways in which a university's scientific and instrument development programs can fit into this niche. The sensor is a low-mass, power-efficient thermal hyperspectral imager with electronics contained in a pressure vessel to enable use of COTS electronics and will be compatible with small satellite platforms. The sensor, called Thermal Hyperspectral Imager (THI), is based on a Sagnac interferometer and uses an uncooled 320x256 microbolometer array. The sensor will collect calibrated radiance data at long-wave infrared (LWIR, 8-14 microns) wavelengths in 230 meter pixels with 20 wavenumber spectral resolution from a 400 km orbit. We are currently in the laboratory and airborne testing stage in order to demonstrate the spectro-radiometric quality of data that the instrument provides.

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S. T. Crites, P. G. Lucey, R. Wright, H. Garbeil, K. A. Horton, and M. Wood "A low cost thermal infrared hyperspectral imager for small satellites", Proc. SPIE 8385, Sensors and Systems for Space Applications V, 838509 (24 May 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.918984

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