News

OIP is delivering the CLIM (Cloud Imager) Instrument

(As part of the CO2M Payload)

The European COPERNICUS Program stipulated specific requirements in order to develop 2 CO2M Mission Satellites, intended to measure atmospheric carbon dioxide, produced by human activity. These measurements will reduce actual uncertain estimates of carbon dioxide emissions from the combustion of fossil fuel at both national and regional scales.

Copernicus is the core satellite Earth Observation Program of the European Commission, as well as a cornerstone of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) activities in the field.

 

The Cloud Imager is a spectral imager, based on a three mirror telescope (TMA).
In the focal plane of the TMA, both a VNIR and SWIR detector are present. The design is largely based on the Vegetation Instrument, flown on the PROBA-V Mission.
CLIM provides Earth observation data for environmental protection, climate monitoring, natural disaster assessment and other scientific challenges. OIP is more than delighted to participate in such an important and challenging development program!

OHB System is the prime contractor for this mission, while Thales Alenia Space is the contractor for the payloads. OIP was selected (July 2020) as a subcontractor for Thales Alenia Space to design one of the on board science instruments, i.e. the “Cloud Imager”; a spectrometer for cloud detection and mapping.

 

The success of winning these 2 big contracts, CLIM (Copernicus) and ALTIUS (Earth Watch) supported OIP’s strategic decision to launch the “OIP SPACE INSTRUMENTS” Business Unit.