DarkCarb
SSTL (Surrey Satellite Technology)
High resolution mid-wave infrared (MWIR) imaging satellite for day and night Earth observation.
Technical specifications
- GSD
- 4 m
- Swath
- 4 km
- Spectral bands
- MWIR (3.7-4.95 µm)
- Throughput
- ~30 GB (SSTL GSN)
- Reference orbit
- 500 km SSO with 10:30 LTAN
- Mission lifetime
- 5 years
- Launch mass
- 130 kg
- Data storage
- 120 GB
- Downlink
- 140 Mbps
About
DarkCarb is a high resolution mid-wave infrared (MWIR) imaging satellite based on the SSTL Carbonite platform, using a 0.32m diameter telescope and a Mercury Cadmium Telluride (MCT) cooled detector to achieve high quality 3.5m-class GSD imagery. Because the detectable signal depends only on scene temperature rather than illumination, DarkCarb can extend imaging opportunities into the night and differentiate between objects and surfaces of different temperature and emissivity. Its video capability supports change detection in a single pass and can help reveal recent human activity not normally visible in optical imagery. Applications include change detection, pattern-of-life assessment, humanitarian and disaster management, national security and defence, infrastructure/asset monitoring and urban heat mapping.
Documentation
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