The Airborne Sensors Initiative (ASI) at Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. (BATC) specializes in airborne demonstration of internally-developed instrument concepts and innovative remote sensing technologies. In December 2006, ASI flew an environmental remote sensing suite consisting of the Low Light Imager (LLI) and Prototype Airborne Visible Imaging Spectrometer (PAVIS), both of which are operated using a pushbroom approach. LLI is designed for nighttime or high dynamic range imaging. It is capable of yielding 10⁷ dynamic range and offers quality images amid illumination extending from a ¹/₄ moon to full sunlight and with autonomous operation. PAVIS is an imaging spectrometer based on the Dyson design and exhibits a 200 nm spectral bandwidth tunable within 400 − 850 nm. Developed internally to demonstrate promising remote sensing capabilities, these small, low-mass and low-power instruments are prepared for aircraft flight and are currently being used in the field to acquire scientific data. The LLI/PAVIS instrument suite has been utilized to collect airborne urban and rural imagery, as well as spectral information about the Great Salt Lake area, western Colorado, and ancient lava flows in southern Idaho. Highlights of the instrument design and ensuing data from previous flights are presented herein.

Date Published: 27 September 2007
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 6677, Earth Observing Systems XII, 667710 (27 September 2007); doi: 10.1117/12.730522

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 6677:
Earth Observing Systems XII
James J. Butler; Jack Xiong, Editor(s)