After an adrenaline-filled launch last Monday amidst hurricanes, rain, and storms, the Hera spacecraft, with cosine’s HyperScout H aboard, successfully reached space, thanks to a remarkable ride aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. We are pleased to confirm that our HyperScout H is in great condition, with the imaging system chain functioning perfectly and communication running smoothly. Just days after launch, HyperScout H captured its first iconic spectral image of the Earth-Moon system as a commissioning and calibration target.
HyperScout H captured its first spectra, using the Earth-Moon system as a target. The data collected is visualized in a stunning false-color image, taken from approximately 1.6 million kilometers away, in which Earth appears, illuminated by the Sun, with the Pacific Ocean in view.
Earth is a rare planet, in part due to its large Moon, which stabilizes its tilt and climate. “It is fantastic to have the Earth-Moon system as our first target, observing this unique relationship and capturing it spectrally as we move swiftly toward Mars. It’s incredible, isn’t it? A reward that any space engineer is looking for in his life”, commented Dr Ing. Marco Esposito, cosine Remote Sensing Managing Director.
This acquisition also showcases the dedication cosine has put into conceiving and engineering its instruments for significant and noble scientific endeavors. “We aim to expand humanity’s knowledge of the solar system and ensure we have a plan in place should an asteroid’s trajectory become a real threat to Earth. For cosine, this is our second asteroid mission, and this first data set makes our creative organization even more proud of who we are, fueling our drive for the next challenge”, added Dr Esposito.
The Earth-Moon system data will also serve for calibration purposes. It is one of the few targets HyperScout H will be able to exploit to sharpen the measurement accuracy before entering into action in 2026. At that time, HyperScout H will observe the Dimorphos asteroid moonlet in a range of colours far beyond the limits of the human eye and help determine the asteroid’s mineral makeup.
About HyperScout
HyperScout H is a hyperspectral imager covering the 650–950 nm wavelength range, with blue representing the shortest wavelengths and red representing the longest. The shoebox-sized imaging spectrometer was provided by cosine Remote Sensing in the Netherlands.
Learn more about HyperScout H’s role in the Hera mission.
About cosine
cosine is a leading worldwide company in the development of space instrumentation, such as Silicon Pore Optics for astronomy and remote sensing solutions with onboard analytics for Earth Observation and planetary science. We combine physics and technology to bring out-of-the-box solutions to our clients. We have been developing and delivering innovative measurement systems for space and industrial applications since 1998. Our company operates 1,300 m² of cleanrooms and high-tech assembly facilities to build and test the systems we produce for our customers at our headquarters in Sassenheim, The Netherlands.
