Two new commercial satellites will carry sensor payloads developed by Raytheon to deliver images of unprecedented depth and detail.
Raytheon's hyperspectral imaging technology captures light across a wide swath of the electromagnetic spectrum, giving commercial, civilian and military analysts important new insights into Earthly phenomena. Sensor data will allow analysts to measure the mineral content of soil, characterize atmospheric pollutants and distinguish physical properties of materials otherwise undetectable to the naked eye.
A newly awarded contract calls for the sensor payloads to fly on a pair of commercial satellites that Boeing is building for HySpecIQ, LLC.
"The technical depth and experience of Boeing and Raytheon will create an unparalleled hyperspectral system," said William R. Sullivan, HySpecIQ founder and executive chairman. "This system will vastly advance the use of hyperspectral imaging in both commercial and government applications."
HySpecIQ and Boeing anticipate marketing hyperspectral-based decision support tools, risk management products and surveying capabilities to the global oil and gas, mining, agriculture and environmental monitoring industries, as well as U.S. government agencies and partner countries.
"For the first time, commercial markets will now have affordable access to the extraordinary advantages of hyperspectral imaging from space," said Bill Hart, vice president, Raytheon Space Systems. "Raytheon is advancing this technology based upon flight-proven systems for both air and space."
Work on the HySpecIQ payloads will take place in El Segundo, Calif., with final delivery for integration onto the Boeing satellites expected in 2017.
Source: http://www.raytheon.com/