HORUS: Multispectral and Multiangle CubeSat Mission Targeting Sub-Kilometer Remote Sensing Applications

Alice Pellegrino; Maria Giulia Pancalli; Andrea Gianfermo; Paolo Marzioli; Federico Curianò; Federica Angeletti; Fabrizio Piergentili; Fabio Santoni

doi:10.3390/rs13122399

Remote Sensing (Jun 2021)

HORUS: Multispectral and Multiangle CubeSat Mission Targeting Sub-Kilometer Remote Sensing Applications

Alice Pellegrino,
Maria Giulia Pancalli,
Andrea Gianfermo,
Paolo Marzioli,
Federico Curianò,
Federica Angeletti,
Fabrizio Piergentili,
Fabio Santoni

Affiliations

Alice Pellegrino: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Maria Giulia Pancalli: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Andrea Gianfermo: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Paolo Marzioli: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Federico Curianò: Department of Astronautical, Electric and Energy Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Federica Angeletti: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Fabrizio Piergentili: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Fabio Santoni: Department of Astronautical, Electric and Energy Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13122399
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 13, no. 12
p. 2399

Abstract

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This paper presents the HORUS mission, aimed at multispectral and multiangle (nadir and off-nadir) planetary optical observation, using Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) instruments on-board a 6-Unit CubeSat. The collected data are characterized by a sub-kilometer resolution, useful for different applications for environmental monitoring, atmospheric characterization, and ocean studies. Latest advancements in electro-optical instrumentation permit to consider an optimized instrument able to fit in a small volume, in principle without significant reduction in the achievable performances with respect to typical large-spacecraft implementations. CubeSat-based platforms ensure high flexibility, with fast and simple components’ integration, and may be used as stand-alone system or in synergy with larger missions, for example to improve revisit time. The mission rationale, its main objectives and scientific background, including the combination of off-nadir potential continuous multiangle coverage in a full perspective and related observation bands are provided. The observation system conceptual design and its installation on-board a 6U CubeSat bus, together with the spacecraft subsystems are discussed, assessing the feasibility of the mission and its suitability as a building block for a multiplatform distributed system.

Published in Remote Sensing

ISSN: 2072-4292 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensing/

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