ASIM Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor — Terma Space Instrument on the ISS Columbus Module

Terma A/S is a Danish defense and space technology company headquartered in Lystrup (Aarhus), Denmark, providing space electronics, instruments, and radar systems. In space, Terma’s flagship product is the ASIM (Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor) — a multiwavelength optical instrument mounted on the ISS Columbus external payload facility, studying lightning, sprites, elves, blue jets, and terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) in Earth’s upper atmosphere. ASIM was developed for ESA under Terma’s prime contractorship and launched April 2, 2018 aboard a SpaceX Dragon on CRS-14. The instrument shown here (identified as P/N: 870213-001, S/N: 3001) was photographed December 13, 2017 at Kennedy Space Center while being prepared for integration. ASIM comprises two instruments: the Modular X- and Gamma-ray Sensor (MXGS) and the Modular Multispectral Imaging Array (MMIA) with photometers and cameras recording at 12,000 frames/second to capture the ultra-fast phenomena. Terma has operated ASIM continuously since 2018, downlinking scientific data to the ASIM Science Data Centre at the Technical University of Denmark. Terma also provides avionics for the Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-35, and C-130J tactical transports, and manufactures SCANTER maritime surveillance radars.