Back to listForwardMulti-purpose VIS/IR imagery from LEO 

Details on this mission type
Full name Multi-purpose VIS/IR imagery from LEO
Definition This type of mission designates medium-resolution multi-channel radiometers operating in the VIS and IR parts of the spectrum in Low Earth Orbit.
Relevant instruments and their contribution

The sorting column describes how the instruments, by design, have the potential to contribute to certain pre-determined capabilities, assuming nominal operation of space and ground segments. For this particular capability, instrument performance is considered to be driven by:

  • extension of the spectral range through the VIS, NIR, SWIR, MWIR and TIR bands;
  • number of channels and their distribution across the spectral range ;
  • channel bandwidth and radiometric resolution.

 Sorting criteria and colour code:

  1. [green] VIS/IR radiometer with at least 10 VIS channels, several channels in NIR and SWIR, and at least 2 channels in the MWIR window ~ 3.7 μm, the TIR window ~ 11 μm and in the water vapour 6.3 μm band enabling to observe a wide range of geophysical variables from cloud and aerosol properties to land and sea surface, with very good product quality.
  2. [light green] VIS/IR radiometer with at least 3 channels in VIS, several channels in NIR, SWIR and the TIR window ~ 11 μm, and at least 1 channel in the MWIR window ~ 3.7 μm and the TIR water vapour 6.3 μm band, enabling to observe a wide range of geophysical variables from cloud classification and aerosol detection to land and sea surface, with good product quality.
  3. [yellow] VIS/IR radiometer with  channel(s) in VIS, NIR, SWIR and the MWIR window ~ 3.7 μm; and at least 2 channels in the TIR window ~ 11 μm, enabling cloud analysis, aerosol inference, land surface variables and sea surface variables.
  4. [orange] VIS/IR radiometer with  channel(s) in VIS, NIR and the MWIR window ~ 3.7 μm; and at least 2 channels in the TIR window ~ 11 μm, to support land surface and ocean surface observation in day light.
  5. [red] VIS/IR radiometer with channel(s) in VIS, NIR, the MWIR window ~ 3.7 μm and the TIR window ~ 11 μm, to support operational cloud detection,  possibly as companion of a main instruments.