(50-5) 03 * << * >> * Russian * English * Content * All Issues

Evaluation of spatial and spectral resolution of scanning hyperspectral equipment for CubeSat spacecraft
N.A. Ivliev 1,2

1 Samara National Research University, Moskovskoye Shosse 34, Samara, 443086, Russia;
2 Image Processing Systems Institute, NRC “Kurchatov Institute”,
Molodogvardeiskaya Str. 151, Samara, 443001, Russia

  Full text (PDF)

DOI: 10.18287/COJ1850

Article ID: 1850

Language: Russian

Abstract:
This paper proposes a methodology for estimating the spatial and spectral resolution of scanning hyperspectral equipment designed for use on CubeSat nanosatellites. The methodology is based on photometric calculations that take into account characteristics of the main elements of the generalized optical design of the scanning hyperspectral equipment and orbital motion parameters of the spacecraft. The fundamental assumptions for calculating the required exposure time of the array photodetector are that the number of signal electrons generated by the light flux is equal to the maximum amount of electric charge that can be held by one pixel of the array photodetector before saturation, as well as the equality of spatial resolutions along and perpendicular to the direction of motion. It is shown that this approach enables the selection of an array photodetector with characteristics that satisfy the required spatial and spectral resolution. Examples of estimating the spatial and spectral resolution for hyperspectral equipment with Jupiter-37A 3.5/135 and Rubinar 4.5/300 lenses are provided. A conclusion is made that the lenses analyzed are applicable for the hyperspectral equipment for Cubesat format spacecraft.

Keywords:
hyperspectral instrumentation, nanosatellites, spatial and spectral resolution

Acknowledgements:
This work was financially supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, grant No 075-15-2025-610.

Citation:
Ivliev NA. Evaluation of spatial and spectral resolution of scanning hyperspectral equipment for CubeSat spacecraft. Computer Optics 2026; 50(5): 1850. doi: 10.18287/COJ1850.

References:

  1. Fevgas G, Lagkas T, Sarigiannidis P, Argyriou V. Advances in remote sensing and propulsion systems for Earth observation nanosatellites. Future Internet 2025; 17(1): 16. DOI: 10.3390/fi17010016.
  2. Villela T, Costa CA, Brandão AM, Bueno FT, Leonardi R. Towards the thousandth CubeSat: A statistical overview. International Journal of Aerospace Engineering 2019; 2019: 5063145. DOI: 10.1155/2019/5063145.
  3. Weston SV, Burkhard CD, Stupl JM, Ticknor RL, Yost BD, Austin RA, Galchenko P, Newman LK, Soto LS. State-of-the-art small spacecraft technology. NASA Technical Report NASA/TP-20250000142; 2025.
  4. Rodríguez-Osorio RM, Ramírez EF. A hands-on education project: Antenna design for inter-CubeSat communications. IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine 2012; 54(5): 211-224. DOI: 10.1109/MAP.2012.6348155.
  5. Helvajian H, Janson SW. Origin of CubeSat, Small Satellite: Past, Present and Future. El Segundo, CA: The Aerospace Press; 2009. ISBN: 978-1-884989-22-3.
  6. Cappelletti C, Robson D. CubeSat missions and applications. In: CubeSat Handbook: Mission Design to Operations. Academic Press; 2021: 53-65. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-817884-3.00002-3.
  7. Heidt H, Puig-Suari J, Moore A, Nakasuka S, Twiggs RJ. CubeSat: A new generation of picosatellite for education and industry low-cost space experimentation. In: Proceedings of the 14th Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites; 2000; Logan, UT, USA. Paper SSC00-V-5: 1-19.
  8. Puig-Suari J, Coelho R, Williams S. CubeSat Design Specification. Rev. 12. San Luis Obispo, CA: The CubeSat Program, California Polytechnic State University; 2009.
  9. Cho DH, Choi WS, Kim MK, Kim JH, Sim E, Kim HD. High-resolution image and video CubeSat (HiREV): Development of a space technology test platform using a low-cost CubeSat platform. International Journal of Aerospace Engineering 2019; 2019: 8916416. DOI: 10.1155/2019/8916416.
  10. Glavkosmos. Glavkosmos organized the launch of 42 small spacecraft from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. Available at: https://www.glavkosmos.com/en/glavkosmos-organized-the-launch-of-42-small-spacecraft-from-the-vostochny-cosmodrome. Accessed August 18, 2026.
  11. NASA. Earth Right Now. Available at: https://science.nasa.gov/earth-science/. Accessed August 18, 2026.
  12. National Research Council. Earth Science and Applications from Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2007. Available at: https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11820/earth-science-and-applications-from-space-national-imperatives-for-the-next-decade-and-beyond. Accessed August 18, 2026.
  13. Puig-Suari J, Turner C, Twiggs RJ. CubeSat: The development and launch support infrastructure for eighteen different satellite customers on one launch. In: Proceedings of the 15th Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites; 2001; Logan, UT, USA: 13-16.
  14. Bouwmeester J, Guo J. Survey of worldwide pico- and nanosatellite missions, distributions and subsystem technology. Acta Astronautica 2010; 67(7-8): 854-862. DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2010.06.004.
  15. Aoyanagi Y, Doi T, Arai H, Shimada Y, Yasuda M, Yamazaki T, Sawazaki H. On-orbit performance and hyperspectral data processing of the TIRSAT CubeSat mission. Remote Sensing 2025; 17(11): 1903. DOI: 10.3390/rs17111903.
  16. Zhao D, Cheng X, Zhang H, Niu Y, Qi Y, Zhang H. Evaluation of the ability of spectral indices of hydrocarbons and seawater for identifying oil slicks utilizing hyperspectral images. Remote Sensing 2018; 10(3): 421. DOI: 10.3390/rs10030421.
  17. Ivliev N, Podlipnov V, Petrov M, Tkachenko I, Ivanushkin M, Fomchenkov S, Markushin M, Skidanov R, Khanenko Y, Nikonorov A, Kazanskiy N, Soifer V. 3U CubeSat-based hyperspectral remote sensing by Offner imaging hyperspectrometer with radially fastened primary elements. Sensors 2024; 24(9): 2885. DOI: 10.3390/s24092885.
  18. Sigernes F. Basic Hyperspectral Imaging. Longyearbyen: University Centre in Svalbard; 2008.
  19. Gecha VYa, Zhilenev MYu, Fedorov VB, Khrychev DA, Khudak YuI, Shatina AV. Image motion speed during optoelectronic imaging of a planetary surface [In Russian]. Russian Technological Journal 2018; 6(4): 65-77.
  20. Knyazev MG, Bondarenko AV, Dokuchaev IV. Calculation of threshold values of radiation flux and illuminance for Kodak KAI-1003M, Kodak KAI-1020, and Philips FTF3020M CCD matrices [In Russian]. Digital Signal Processing 2006; (3): 1-18.
  21. Liu X, Xing F, Fan S, You Z. A compact and high-accuracy star tracker with an on-orbit deployable baffle for remote sensing CubeSats. Remote Sensing 2021; 13(13): 2503. DOI: 10.3390/rs13132503.
  22. CubeSpace. Your global ADCS partner. Available at: https://www.cubespace.co.za. Accessed August 18, 2026.
  23. Precision Aerospace Solutions. Available at: https://www.arcsecspace.com. Accessed August 18, 2026.
  24. Rosero-Montalvo PD, Priest JCP. CubeSat imaging payload design for environmental monitoring of Greenland. Electronics 2025; 14(1): 18. DOI: 10.3390/electronics14010018.
  25. Mukhtar S, Arbabi A, Viegas J. Compact spectral imaging: A review of miniaturized and integrated systems. Laser & Photonics Reviews 2025; 19(21): e01042. DOI: 10.1002/lpor.202501042.
  26. Raskin G, Delabie T, De Munter W, Sana H, Vandenbussche B, Vandoren B, Antoci V. CUBESPEC: Low-cost space-based astronomical spectroscopy. In: Proceedings of SPIE 10698, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2018: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave. SPIE; 2018: 106985R. DOI: 10.1117/12.2314074.

151, Molodogvardeiskaya str., Samara, 443001, Russia; E-mail: journal@computeroptics.ru; Tel: +7 (846) 242-41-24 (Executive secretary), +7 (846) 332-56-22 (Issuing editor), Fax: +7 (846) 332-56-20