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NRL Sensor Observes First Light

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS091203-29
Release Date: 12/3/2009 4:56:00 PM

By Daniel Parry, Naval Research Laboratory Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Special Sensor Ultraviolet Limb Imager (SSULI) developed by Naval Research Laboratory's (NRL) Spacecraft Engineering Department and Space Science Division, launched Oct. 18 on the U.S. Air Force Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F18 (flight 18) satellite, observed first light on Dec. 1.

In a sample airglow profile, the spectral emission features in the data are clean and show no anomalies.

"The SSULI team is very excited to continue with early orbit testing and begin the calibration and validation process with this instrument," said Andrew Nicholas, SSULI principal investigator, NRL Space Science division.

Offering global observations that yield near real-time altitude profiles of the ionosphere and neutral atmosphere over an extended period of time, SSULI makes measurements from the extreme ultraviolet to the far ultraviolet over the wavelength range of 80 nanometers (nm) to 170 nm with 1.5 nm resolution.

SSULI data products, once calibrated and validated, will be used operationally at the Air Force Weather Agency as standalone operational data products and also as inputs into operational Space Weather models.

NRL is the Department of the Navy's corporate laboratory. NRL conducts a broad program of scientific research, technology, and advanced development. The Laboratory, with a total complement of nearly 2,500 personnel, is located in Washington D.C. , with other major sites at the Stennis Space Center, Miss.; and Monterey, Calif.