Multispectral imaging device focuses on lowering cost of Earth observation

The cost of Earth observation could be brought down with an imaging device being developed for use on nanosatellites.

The project at Strathclyde University is investigating the production of a multispectral imaging (MSI) device which is smaller than conventional instruments and could be installed in nanosatellites to monitor climate change, observe ocean activity, detect forest fires or track shipping traffic.

The study one of seven projects to secure funding from the UK Space Agency’s (UKSA) Centre for Earth Observation Instrumentation (CEOI).

Researchers from Strathclyde’s Department of Physics are working with partners, led by product design company Wideblue, to produce MSI technology with a compact payload. It will be designed, built and then tested by taking images during a drone flight.

According to Strathclyde University, a commercial MSI satellite can be up to 5.7m x2.5m x2.5mm and 2.8 tonnes whereas the new device could fit on a 4kg satellite measuring 10cm x10cm x30cm size and would orbit around 500km above Earth.