Advanced visible and near-infrared radiometer for earth observation

A Japanese visible and near-IR radiometer (VNR) under development for installation on earth resources satellites is described. The design goals of the instrument include improvements of multispectral scanner technology, compactness, lightweight, low power consumption, and simple interface with the satellite. Upwelling radiance is divided into four bands and focussed on a CCD array measuring from 450-520 nm, 520-600 nm, 630-690 nm, and 760-950 nm. The field of view is 25 m, swath width 150 km, and power consumption is 100 W. The entrance path of the radiance is through two aspherical dioptric telescopes, eventually falling on the CCD arrays, which have 6000 elements per band.