CyanoSat satellite imager undergoing tests in orbit

CSIRO and university and industry partners are testing an Australian-made CyanoSat hyperspectral imager which was recently launched into low Earth orbit on board a Skykraft satellite.

Canberra-based Skykraft has had a number of satellites launched this year forming part of a constellation of Air Traffic Management satellites, with the latest launched two days ago.

The imager is designed to detect detect blue-green algae in coastal and inland waterways and was built by CSIRO’s Space Optics Lab.

Tests are planned to monitor image capture, onboard data processing, communications systems and data download.

The national science body took to social media to say: “We’ll find out in a few weeks’ time whether the payload survived the journey to space.”

According to CSIRO, measuring water quality from space is challenging as imaging targets are typically small, dark, and have narrow spectral fingerprints – the imager has a resolution of 50 metres from a height of 600 kilometres.

The CyanoSat payload features a high-resolution, precision manufactured reflective telescope built by CSIRO utilising mirrors surfaced by defence prime contractor BAE Systems Australia.

Inside the imager light travels through a variable filter designed and manufactured in collaboration with the Future Industries Institute at the University of South Australia.

By directly adhering this filter onto a camera sensor the system generates more than 30 spectral bands in the visible to near-infrared.

Radiation tolerant components were used by CSIRO to build the on-board electronics and data processor, and novel radiation shielding materials developed were also used to increase robustness.

In designing the imager, CSIRO consulted closely with Earth observation colleagues and Dr Mark Matthews of South African company CyanoLakes.

CyanoLakes helps utilities monitoring water quality to detect the difference between toxin producing cyanobacteria blooms and algae.

Further reading:
Skykraft air traffic control satellite launched

Picture: CSIRO/CyanoSat hyperspectral imager