Micro instrumentation for space

小型卫星已成为开发成功的学术、商业和政府空间方案的入门级平台。该研究方案的目标是通过开发利用空间遥感优势的小型化仪器来扩大小型空间和近空间平台的能力。我们的计划将建立在我们现有的空间硬件开发计划的成功基础上。 近红外区域为遥感全球范围的气候学、地质学和地理学提供了一个窗口。该实验室设计并正在运行一台小型化仪器，该仪器以3赫兹收集地球光谱，其覆盖区相当于750公里低地球轨道约1.5公里。这些光谱包含对这一重要能量交换区域的地球反射的辐射测量，可以对其进行分析，以探测和量化气溶胶、云、海岸线、土壤水分含量和大气成分。这项研究将扩大我们的短波红外（SWIR）传感器的工作，以仪器的发展，以测量地球的辐射预算作为气候变化的指标。我们将通过开发针对特定物种的仪器和扩大光谱仪的灵敏度范围来提高光谱通量。与此同时，该实验室还将开发一个硬件计划，以使新的电磁传感仪器能够进一步实现节能和电网完整性等目标。我们的研究将集中在微型仪器的发展，放置在地球和太阳之间的拉格朗日点的轨道上，可以提供电磁干扰的直接检测，提供几分钟的预警时间，以隔离配电系统。我们将开发和表征空间传感器的性能，该空间传感器适用于可靠识别导致电力中断的太阳事件，也可用于通过无人机检查定位故障传输组件。我们还将研究短波红外技术的应用，以检测故障的电力线组件。 小型化空间传感器的发展可大大提高我们监测天气和气候的能力。小型化仪器可以比大型仪器更多地部署在空间中，从而增加时间和空间覆盖范围。对电力网和空间气象进行空间和近空间监测提供了一种手段，既可提高供电的稳定性，又可在电力分配方面获得显著的经济效益。该研究将聘请HQP，包括三名硕士和三名博士候选人，他们将各自领导一个主要的研究目标。

Small satellites have become proven entry-level platforms for the development of successful academic, commercial and governmental space programs. The objective of this research program is to expand the capabilities of small space and near-space platforms through the development of miniaturized instrumentation that leverages the advantages of remote sensing from space. Our program will build on the success of our existing space hardware development programs. The NIR region offers a window to remotely sense climatology, geology and geography on a global scale. The laboratory designed and now operates a miniaturized instrument that collects Earth spectra at 3 Hz and with a footprint equating to approximately 1.5 km from a Low Earth Orbit of 750 km. The spectra contain radiometric measurements of Earth reflection in this important energy-exchange region that may be analyzed to detect and quantify aerosols, clouds, coastlines, soil moisture content and atmospheric composition. This research will extend our Shortwave Infra Red (SWIR) sensor work to the development of instrumentation to measure the Earth’s radiation budget as an indicator for climate change. We will enhance spectral throughput by developing instrumentation targeted at specific species and by extending the sensitivity range of the spectrometer. In tandem, the laboratory will also develop a hardware program to miniaturize new electromagnetic sensing instrumentation to further objectives including power conservation and power grid integrity. Our research will focus on the development of micro-instrumentation that, placed in an orbit about the Lagrangian point between the Earth and Sun, can provide direct detection of electromagnetic disturbances giving minutes of warning time to isolate distribution systems. We will develop and characterize the performance of a space sensor suitable for the reliable identification of solar events that cause power disruption and that may also be applied to localize faulty transmission components though UAV inspection. We will also investigate the application of SWIR technology to the detection of faulty power-line components. The development of miniaturized space sensors can enhance significantly our ability to monitor weather and climate. Miniaturized instrumentation may be deployed in space more numerously than larger instrumentation increasing temporal and spatial coverage. Space and near-space monitoring of power grids and space weather provides a means both to improve the stability of supply and to reap significant economic efficiencies in power distribution. The research will employ HQP including three masters and three doctoral candidates who will each lead a major research objective.