Galileo NIMS Spectral Image Cube of Asteroid Gaspra, 1991

HIRES NIMS GASPRA SPECTRAL IMAGE CUBE is a 17-channel spectral image of asteroid 951 Gaspra, ranging from 0.7 to 5.2 micrometers in wavelength. The data was captured by the Galileo spacecraft's Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer on October 29, 1991, with a spatial resolution of 1.28 km/pixel. It was radiometrically calibrated using measurements from the instrument's observations of Earth in December 1990.

Use Cases

• Analyze asteroid surface composition based on 17 spectral channels from 0.7 to 5.2 micrometers.
• Map spectral features across an asteroid surface based on the 1.28 km/pixel spatial resolution.
• Validate or compare spectral calibration methods based on the described Earth-observation calibration.
• Study the spectral properties of S-type asteroids using data from a specific flyby event.

Strengths

• Data originates from the Galileo spacecraft, a primary NASA mission.
• Provides 17 spectral channels covering a specific wavelength range from 0.7 to 5.2 micrometers.
• Has a defined spatial resolution of 1.28 km/pixel.
• Underwent a described radiometric calibration process using Earth observations.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Captured by the Galileo spacecraft's Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer.

Time Range

October 29, 1991

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 04:36:26.730032; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Asteroid 951 Gaspra