MightySat II.1 Hyperspectral Imager: Summary of On-Orbit Performance

Abstract

The primary payload on a small-satellite, the Air Force Research Laboratory's MightySat II.1, is a spatially modulated Fourier Transform Hyperspectral Imager (FTHSI) designed for terrain classification. The heart of this instrument is a solid block Sagnac interferometer with 85cm-1 spectral resolution over the 475nm to 1050nm wavelength range and 30m spatial resolution. Coupled with this hyperspectral imager is a Quad-C40 card, used for on-orbit processing. The satellite was launched on 19 Jul 2000 into a 575km, 97.8 degree inclination, sun-synchronous orbit. The hyperspectral imager collected its first data set on 1 Aug 2000. To the best of our knowledge, the MightSat II.1 sensor is the first true hyperspectral earth-viewing imager to be successfully operated in space. The paper will describe the satellite and instrument, pre-launch calibration results, on-orbit performance, and the calibration process used to characterize the sensor. We will also present data on the projected lifetime of the sensor along with samples of the types of data being collected.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2002
Accession Number
ADA430883

Entities

People

  • Eric Kouba
  • James Arnold
  • Summer Yarbrough
  • Thomas Caudill
  • Victor Osweiler

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Calibration
  • Central Processing Units
  • Detectors
  • Field Programmable Gate Arrays
  • Focal Planes
  • Hyperspectral Imagery
  • Image Processing
  • Interferometers
  • Measurement
  • Military Research
  • Payload
  • Small Satellites
  • Space Systems
  • Spacecraft

Readers

  • Aerospace Propulsion Engineering.
  • Atmospheric Remote Sensing.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris
  • Space - Satellites