Global Hyperspectral Earth Imagery from the DESIS Instrument

Global hyperspectral image data captured by the DESIS instrument aboard the International Space Station. The instrument, developed by DLR and integrated by Teledyne Brown Engineering, operates in the 400nm to 1000nm wavelength range with a spectral resolution of about 3.3nm. Data is delivered in 30x30km tiles at a ground spatial resolution of approximately 30 meters.

Use Cases

• Classifying land cover types using spectral signatures across 400nm to 1000nm wavelengths.
• Detecting changes in vegetation health or urban development by analyzing time-series of georeferenced Level 1C or Level 2A image tiles.
• Developing fire detection algorithms by identifying specific thermal and spectral features in the near-infrared bands.
• Conducting atmospheric research by analyzing the atmospheric correction processes applied to generate Level 2A data products.
• Mapping coastal and maritime features using the instrument's sensitivity for maritime domain awareness applications.

Strengths

• High spectral resolution of approximately 3.3nm across the visible to near-infrared spectrum (400nm-1000nm).
• Global spatial coverage from the International Space Station orbit.
• Multiple processing levels available: Level 1B (radiometric), Level 1C (geometric), and Level 2A (atmospheric correction).

Limitations

• Specific row count, total data volume, and temporal coverage are unknown.
• Spatial resolution of ~30m may be insufficient for fine-grained analysis compared to higher-resolution commercial satellites.
• Access and licensing terms for the data are not specified.

Provenance

Source

DLR (German Aerospace Center) and Teledyne Brown Engineering, via NASA's Earthdata platform.

Collection Method

Data acquired by the DESIS hyperspectral imaging spectrometer mounted on the International Space Station.

Time Range

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Freshness

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Geography

Global