ROSIS (Reflective Optics System Imaging Spectrometer) - A Candidate Instrument For Polar Platform Missions

The ROSIS imaging spectrometer concept is based on all-reflective optics and matrix CCD detector arrays. The instrument concept was defined and detailed within a national study for chlorophyll measurements from space platforms, which was the design determining mission objective in terms of high spectral and radiometric and moderate spatial resolution. A great variety of further mission applications in the field of ocean, land and atmospheric remote sensing is foreseen. Meanwhile, a first airborne prototype version is under development for delivery in late 1988, funded commonly by DFVLR, GKSS and MBB, which will be used to verify the technical sensor concept of ROSIS and its full application spectrum. ROSIS is designed to cover a spectral range from 430 to 960 nm in resolution steps of 5 nm per channel; a set of up to 28 spectral channels can be read out simultaneously at full spatial resolution, the full spectrum at reduced resolution. The selection of channels can be pre-programmed per orbit or aircraft flight out of the available 106 channels. The radiometric resolution is defined as 0.05% of the apparent albedo. The total FOV covers ± 16° per optics module. In view of the ESA (and NASA) planning for Polar Platform Missions, ROSIS could represent a promising candidate of multi-purpose remote sensing instruments.