ISR-6: Space Remote Sensing and Data Science

Space Remote Sensing and Data Science

Developing and deploying sophisticated, customized detection systems and analysis tools to address needs in nuclear non-proliferation, space domain awareness, atmospheric science, and planetary science and exploration.

Our group develops and deploys sophisticated and customized detection systems and analysis tools to address needs in our key mission areas of nuclear non-proliferation, space domain awareness, atmospheric science, planetary science and exploration, and applied research toward multi-source intelligence applications. ISR-6’s engineers, physicists, geophysicists, geologists, computer scientists, and data scientists conceive and design advanced sensing and data technologies.

Elroi Featured Body 960x500 — David Palmer with ELROI: Extremely Low Resource Optical Identifier. ELROI is a license plate for your satellite; a small tag that flashes an optical identification code that can be read by a small telescope on the ground. The size of a thick postage stamp and fully autonomous, you can attach it to everything that goes into space, including small cubesats and inert debris like rocket stages, and it will keep blinking even after the satellite is shut down, reliably identifying the object from launch until re-entry.

Focus Areas

Spectral, spatial, and temporal sensing

Multispectral and hyperspectral imaging and analysis

Source phenomenology modeling, interpretation, and propagation

Low-light imaging
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)

Data analysis, signal and image processing, and algorithm development

Satellite imagery analysis for scientific investigation and nuclear nonproliferation
Time-frequency analysis
Anomaly detection
Extraction of faint signals from cluttered backgrounds
Ptychography and tomography

Detector and system design

Development and deployment of space-based and ground-based sensing systems

Key to ISR-6 success is innovative leadership through a vigorous research portfolio, including high impact discovery science through leadership of efforts including NASA’s NACHOS hyperspectral cubesat missions, the RAPid Telescopes for Optical Response (RAPTOR) array of “thinking” telescopes for time-domain astrophysics such as studying gamma-ray bursts, and ultra-low light imaging systems such as Remote Ultra-low Light Imaging (RULLI) systems. Our leadership in data-driven, mission-relevant research includes substantial accomplishments toward characterizing industrial processes, detecting changes to Earth’s surface, and changes in Arctic sea ice. We also lead and contribute to a wide range of projects not described in open literature.