Progress toward launch: a review of 2004 HICO program activities

The hyperspectral imager for coastal oceans (HICO) program is a sensor system that will use a hyperspectral imager onboard the International Space Station (ISS) for remote sensing of coastal regions. A short wave infrared sensor will be flown as well, to enhance the imaging capabilities of the project. As mentioned in the 2003 IEEE HICO paper, this program merges the efforts of the University of Hawaii, Utah State University, and the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). The HICO program uses the proven Portable Hyperspectral Imager for Low Light Spectroscopy (PHILLS) airborne sensor provided by NRL. With 25 meter spatial resolution, PHILLS will characterize coastal regions and beaches and provide data on water bathymetry, composition and obstructions. The sensor will also offer imaging data regarding the properties of coral reefs and other natural land formations or hazards. Since last year significant progress has been made on target planning for coral reefs through orbital analysis of the ISS using an orbit simulation program and position vectors produced at NASA. Also in the last year, significant advances have been made in the design of the pointing system that the HICO program will use. This system will not only be suitable for the hyperspectral and infrared sensors used in the HICO program, but for future payloads as well. This paper gives an overview of the HICO program while detailing the advancements made in the past year regarding the pointing system and remote sensing target analysis.