Aircraft Scanners - AERIALDIGI

The data acquired from these sensors supports NASA's Airborne Science and Applications Program and have been identified as precursors to the instruments scheduled to fly on Earth Observing System platforms. THEMATIC MAPPER SIMULATOR The Thematic Mapper Simulator (TMS) sensor is a line scanning device designed for a variety of Earth science applications. Flown aboard NASA ER-2 aircraft, the TMS sensor has a nominal Instantaneous Field of View of 1.25 milliradians with a ground resolution of 81 feet (25 meters) at 65,000 feet.

The TMS sensor scans at a rate of 12.5 scans per second with 716 pixels per scan line. Swath width is 8.3 nautical miles (15.4 kilometers) at 65,000 feet while the scanner's Field of View is 42.5 degrees. NS-001 MULTISPECTRAL SCANNER The NS-001multispectral scanner is a line scanning device designed to simulate Landsat thematic mapper (TM) sensor performance, including a near infrared/short-wave infrared band used in applications similar to those of the TM sensor (e.g., Earth resources mapping, vegetation/land cover mapping, geologic studies).

Flown aboard NASA C-130B aircraft, the NS-001 sensor has a nominal Instantaneous Field of View of 2.5 milliradians with a ground resolution of 25 feet (7.6 meters) at 10,000 feet. The sensor has a variable scan rate (10 to 100 scans per second) with 699 pixels per scan line, but the available motor drive supply restricts the maximum stable scan speed to approximately 85 revolutions per second. A scan rate of 100 revolutions per second is possible, but not probable, for short scan lines; therefore, a combination of factors, including aircraft flight requirements and maximum scan speed, prevent scanner operation below 1,500 feet.

Swath width is 3.9 nautical miles (7.26 kilometers) at 10,000 feet, and the total scan angle or field of regard for the sensor is 100 degrees, plus or minus 15 degrees for roll compensation. THERMAL INFRARED MULTISPECTRAL SCANNER The Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) sensor is a line scanning device originally designed for geologic applications. Flown aboard NASA C-130B, NASA ER-2, and NASA Learjet aircraft, the TIMS sensor has a nominal Instantaneous Field of View of 2.5 milliradians with a ground resolution of 25 feet (7.6 meters) at 10,000 feet.

The sensor has a selectable scan rate (7.3, 8.7, 12, or 25 scans per second) with 698 pixels per scan line. Swath width is 2.6 nautical miles (4.8 kilometers) at 10,000 feet while the scanner's Field of View is 76.56 degrees.