By Grace Jean
On any given day in Iraq, numerous unmanned drones take to the skies and capture a bird’s eye view of the ground. In a few months, an additional ‘unblinking eye’ will scrutinize the battlefield from space.
The sensor, Advanced Responsive Tactically Effective Military Imaging Spectrometer, or ARTEMIS, uses commercial hyperspectral technology.
Most optical systems operate in limited regions of the visual or infrared light spectrum. But hyperspectral technologies cover a larger portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.
“It’s another way of looking at the battlefield,” says Tom Hastings, director of engineering at Raytheon’s Space and Airborne Systems division. “You get a lot of information when you’re looking at different wavelengths than what you see in a visible camera.”
The sensor can peer under camouflage and find buried objects. It can detect and identify targets and assess battlefield damage as it feeds the images to commanders.
Because the sensor breaks down light into wavebands, it can pinpoint the exact composition of a material. “You can determine if you’re looking at a different kind of metal or a different kind of chemical, depending on what the wavelength is,” says Hastings.
Hyperspectral sensors are not new in military systems, but ARTEMIS is among the first to take that technology to space.
“As part of the responsive space effort, we’re particularly proud of delivering something in 15 months for about $14.5 million,” says Hastings.
The payload will fly on a small experimental satellite called TacSat-3, which is scheduled to launch in January.
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