The Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program (EnMAP), a German Earth observation satellite mission, is using prisms from the Berliner Glas Group onboard the craft for laser communication in space.
An artistic representation of the Earth observation satellite EnMAP in space. Courtesy of OHB System AG.
This mission will measure sun rays reflected from the Earth's surface over a wide spectral range. The spectrometers used deliver hyperspectral data from over 240 small channels of the continuous spectrum of visible light up to NIR and create a completely new level of quality for spectroscopic observation of the Earth.
The EnMAP satellite will record data with a ground resolution of 30 x 30 m at an orbit of almost 650 km. A variable orientation of the satellite allows for comparison observations of the same location within four days.
Goals of the research include the study of globally-linked environmental processes and changes, the examination of the effects of human interventions into ecosystems and support for the sustainable use of natural resources.
The EnMAP satellite is planned to launch in 2019.