Second-Generation Multi-Angle Imaging Spectroradiometer

A report discusses an early phase in the development of the MISR-2 C, a second, improved version of the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), which has been in orbit around the Earth aboard NASA's Terra spacecraft since 1999. Like the MISR, the MISR-2 would contain a "pushbroom" array of nine charge-coupled-device (CCD) cameras - one aimed at the nadir and the others aimed at different angles sideways from the nadir. The major improvements embodied in the MISR-2 would be the following:

* A new folded-reflective-optics design would render the MISR-2 only a third as massive as the MISR.

* Smaller filters and electronic circuits would enable a reduction in volume to a sixth of that of the MISR.

* The MISR-2 would generate images in two infrared spectral bands in addition to the blue, green, red, and near-infrared spectral bands of the MISR.

* Miniature polarization filters would be incorporated to add a polarization-sensing capability.

* Calibration would be performed non-intrusively by use of a gimbaled tenth camera.

The main accomplishment thus far has been the construction of an extremely compact all-reflective-optics CCD camera to demonstrate feasibility.

This work was done by Steven Macenka, Lorry Hovland, Daniel Preston, Brian Zelters, and Kevin Dawning of Caltech for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. For further information, access the Technical Support Package (TSP) free on-line at www.techbriefs.com/tsp under the Physical Sciences category. NPO-35097

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California