Title: Multi-Slit Offner Spectrometer for GEO-CAPE Event Imager
Author: Tim Valle
Organization: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation
Co-Authors: Curtiss O. Davis, Nicholas B. Tufillaro

Abstract:
Remote sensing of coastal ocean color is critical for monitoring ocean productivity and health. High spatial resolution sensing is required to resolve tidal fronts, river plumes and phytoplankton patches in the coastal ocean. Frequent monitoring is essential for understanding the dynamics of coastal processes, which are driven by tides and storm events each hour. Achieving a short revisit time, high spatial and spectral resolution and high signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) using conventional technologies can require risky, complex, and large payloads.

The objective of this IIP is to advance the technological readiness level (TRL) of the Multi-slit Offner Spectrometer technology. This technology directed to a geostationary remote sensing payload can accomplish the ocean color mission with a small package, fast revisit time, and high SNR by producing hyperspectral images at multiple positions simultaneously.

During this three-year IIP, we propose to build a prototype Multi-Slit Offner Spectrometer that meets the requirements for the GEO-CAPE Event Imager mission (a Tier II Earth Science Decadal Survey mission). We will raise the technology readiness level (TRL) from TRL 3 to TRL 6 by subjecting it to launch vibration levels, and characterizing its performance in an operational thermal vacuum environment. In addition, we will perform several studies, which demonstrate the Multi-Slit Offner Spectrometer capability to produce coastal products required for GEO-CAPE.