EN Hyperspectral Space Missions Developed By Thales Alenia Space

Abstract

Aboard of the ENVISAT platform, the MERIS spectro-imager developed by Thalès Alenia Space allows, from 1993 and until 2012, the survey of environmental parameters, in particular the color of open ocean and coastal areas. With the Copernicus program of the European Union, an evolution towards operational measurements began in 2014, thanks to Sentinel 3, satellite dedicated to the oceans and equipped with a new generation of spectro-imagers, OLCI, heirs of MERIS; four satellites are scheduled to ensure the continuity of scientific data over long time series. By 2029, the Copernicus program will diversify with a hyperspectral imaging satellite assigned to Thales Alenia Space, Sentinel-10 or CHIME (Copernicus Hyperspectral Imaging Mission for the Environment). This set of achievements, supplemented by the development of hyperspectral atmospheric sounders such as IASI on METOP and IRS on METEOSAT, constitute an leading technical expertise, unique in the world.