ERAST Pathfinder Sensor Technology Development

As noted in the last two letters of the ERAST acronym, the development of sensor technology for the program constituted a major program goal. Science activities of the Pathfinder missions were coordinated by NASA’s Ames Research Center. Ames developed and tested a number of scientific instruments, including two imaging sensors—a high spectral resolution Digital Array Scanned Interferometer (DASI) and an Airborne Real-Time Imaging System (ARTIS). Steven Wegener of NASA Ames served as proj­ect manager for the science and sensor program. Dougal Maclise was pay­load project manager, Steven Dunagan was the team leader of the DASI project, and Stan Ault was team leader for the ARTIS project. DASI, which weighs less than 25 pounds and was mounted under Pathfinder’s wing, is a remote sensing instrument that looks at reflected spectral intensi­ties from the Earth. The ARTIS payload was built around a color infra­red six-megapixel digital camera. Both sensors were designed to be small, lightweight, and interactive in accordance with ERAST program goals of miniaturizing flight payloads. Both sensor systems also were designed to complement high-altitude studies of atmospheric ozone, land – cover changes, and natural hazard studies conducted by NASA’s Earth Resources Survey ER-2 aircraft. The Pathfinder’s imaging systems fea­tured a remote interactive operation and near-real-time transmission of images to ground stations and the Internet. This capability improved the speed, quality, and efficiency of data collection, analysis, and interpreta­tion. The NASA team noted that the rapid availability of information from these systems could aid in fast decision making during natural disasters.[1543]

The science and sensor aspects of the ERAST program promoted new solar UAV payloads and missions, including disaster management with the Global Disaster Information Network, over-the-horizon and real-time technologies, support of Earth science enterprises, high-resolution map­ping, and promotion of the Commercial Remote Sensing program partner­ship.[1544] The advantages of UAVs over satellites and piloted aircraft include: (1) long-range capability, including the ability to fly to remote locations
and cover large areas; (2) long-endurance capability, including the ability to fly longer and revisit areas on a frequent basis; (3) high-altitude capa­bility, including the ability to fly above weather or danger; (4) slow-speed flight, including the capability to stay near one location; and (5) elimina­tion of pilot exposure, thus enabling long duration or dangerous flights.[1545]