Article Posted on : - Jun 11, 2010

An artist's rendering of TacSat-3 above earth. Raytheon photo

EL SEGUNDO (BNS): Raytheon’s hyperspectral imaging sensor known as ARTEMIS is being prepared for a first-of-its-kind tactical military role by the Air Force Space Command.

The company's Advanced Responsive Tactically Effective Military Imaging Spectrometer has successfully completed its one-year experimental mission aboard the Air Force Research Laboratory's Tactical Satellite-3.

Based on the success of that mission, Raytheon has been notified that the Air Force Space Command will take control of TacSat-3 with the intent to use ARTEMIS in an operational capacity.

Bill Hart, vice president for Raytheon Space Systems said, "ARTEMIS can detect various man-made and natural materials, which adds a fundamentally new capability for the DoD."

The ARTEMIS hyperspectral imager combines spectral information with geo-location coordinates in an easy-to-read map. This information is then sent directly to troops on the ground in near real time.

The TacSat-3 program was designed to demonstrate the feasibility of developing and launching a military payload.

“TacSat-3 has been a pathfinder to explore concepts of operation for future ORS systems and demonstrates how great things can be achieved on a small budget and in a short time," said Dr. Peter Wegner, director of the Pentagon's ORS Office.

"Based on our experience on TacSat-3, we're ready to build operational hyperspectral systems like ARTEMIS quickly and affordably," said Hart.