Overview
Small but capable, BAE Systems’ CIRiS instrument was built to observe the Earth from a spacecraft no larger than a shoebox. Funded by the NASA InVEST (In space Validation of Earth Science Technology) program, the mission demonstrated the ability of new CubeSat-compatible, miniaturized instruments to implement on-orbit calibration for scientific and operational applications.
CIRiS deployed from the International Space Station in February 2020 for a three-year performance characterization and optimization mission. Data from future CIRiS instruments will enable improvements in drought prediction and crop irrigation efficiency and help scientists better understand cloud phenomena and conditions prior to extreme storms.
Weighing only 1.8 kg (3.9 lbs.), the instrument’s small size and weight dramatically reduced launch cost. Among the mission benefits are higher coverage of the Earth and shorter revisit times, providing improved capability for monitoring dynamic land, sea, and atmospheric phenomena.
Our Role
CIRiS leverages our 40+ years of expertise in developing highly calibrated instruments for environmental monitoring. We designed and built the CIRiS instrument and integrated it into the CubeSat spacecraft. BAE Systems and Space Dynamics Laboratory conducted mission operations for CIRiS. Ground and on-orbit data is analyzed and stored by BAE Systems for future applications.
Leveraging our success on the CIRiS program, we also built the Lunar Compact InfraRed Imaging System (L-CIRiS) instrument for the University of Colorado. L-CIRiS will generate panoramic images from a lander or rover on the lunar surface in four infrared bands, performing its own radiometric calibration. The data will provide information on the surface mineral composition and temperature distribution of the Moon.
Compact Infrared Radiometer in Space
Download this PDF to learn about how the CIRiS instrument provides maximum science return in a compact unit.