Indian Space Research Organization is planning to launch another Earth Observation satellite call HySIS or Hyperspectral Imaging Satellite. ISRO has developed a critical chip called Optical Imaging Detection Array. It has been testing the chip. Once perfected it will launch the satellite. Launch date has not been finalised yet.
Hyperspectral Imaging has been a trend for a while now and most of the space faring nations are working on it now. ISRO has developed the tech according to Indian requirements. And after the launch ISRO will be able to see 55 spectral or colour bands from 600 km above.
Two-dimensional projection of a hyperspectral cube
What is Hyper spectral Imaging
Hyper spectral Imaging collects processes information from across the electromagnetic spectrum.  Purpose of identifying materials, or detecting processes. There two types of spectral imagery.
One is push broom scanners and the related whisk broom scanners, which read images over time. And other one is snapshot hyperspectral imaging, which uses a staring array to generate an image in an instance.
Spectral signatures
Some Objects leaves unique ‘fingerprints’ in the electromagnetic spectrum. These are known as Spectral signatures.
The architecture of the chip was designed by Space Applications Centre, Ahmadabad.
This can be used for various types of operation such as monitoring environment, Military and intelligence purposes, Oil and mineral findings.
Only very few space agencies have such satellites. About a decade ago ISRO launched RISAT-2 which has abilities like seeing through cloud and in dark. In 2008 India put a hyperspectral camera onboard Chandrayaan-1 . which was later used for mapping lunar mineral resources and famously found water molecules on the moon.
Source: ISRO
Image Credit: Dr. Nicholas
