The NEAR Multispectral Imager

The Multispectral Imager (MSI)

The Multispectral Imager (MSI), an instrument on the NEAR spacecraft, will provide images of Eros. These images will be downloaded and processed onground to derive the shape of the asteroid and to map its surface features. MSI is adapted from a military remote sensing system. It has a filter wheel containing seven color filters covering the wavelength range of 0.4 - 1.1 micrometers, and one clear filter for low-light imaging and optical navigation.

The MSI will provide information on both physical geology and on mineralogical composition, by measuring the spectrum of reflected sunlight. This instrument will be able to resolve features smaller than 10 meters in size. This means it could also detect satellites, minor objects such as moons, orbiting Eros. In addition, the MSI will serve as one of the tools to provide information necessary to calculate the density of Eros, by providing imagery that will be used to estimate the asteroid's volume. Other information needed for this computation is the mass of Eros, which will be determined from the orbital period (from the radio science experiment), attitude data from the star camera, and altitude data from the Laser Rangefinder.

Lesson Plans on Remote Sensing

Lesson Plans on the Electromagnetic Spectrum

MSI Overview on NEAR Web Server

Back to click-on spacecraft exploration

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Contact Steve Bowser (slbowser@umd5.umd.edu) or
Joy Maloney (jmaloney@umd5.umd.edu) for further information.