CUAVA InGaAs-based, Short Wavelength InfraRed (SWIR) instrument for atmospheric reconnaissance: preliminary design

We report the preliminary design of a new small-size remote sensing instrument operating in the Short Wavelength InfraRed (SWIR) domain of the spectrum (1.560µm to 1.700µm) to monitor, detect, and measure atmospheric Carbon Dioxide (CO_2) and Methane (CH_4) concentrations. We highlight the instrument features, technical specifications (including a relatively high spectral resolution of approximately 0.5nm), optical design, and components. The synthetic spectral response of the instrument is also explored using NASA’s Planetary Spectrum Generator (PSG) which is a Line-by-Line radiative transfer code. The instrument is currently under development at the ARC Training Centre for CubeSats, UAVs and Their Applications (CUAVA) and Sydney Astrophotonic Instrumentation Laboratory (SAIL) at the University of Sydney. Once built, it will conduct an atmospheric reconnaissance from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and will be tested to qualify for future space flights on one of CUAVA’s CubeSats.