MERTIS Design
The core of the MERTIS spectrometer is an uncooled and temperature-stabilized bolometer detector array - operated at near room temperature - which provides 2-dimensional data with average spectral and spatial resolution of the Mercury surface. In addition, a micro-radiometer detector is implemented at the slit of the spectrometer optics. The operational concept is characterized by a permanent on-board calibration, in which data from 3 calibration sources (cold space and two blackbody sources of different temperatures) and the Mercury surface are cyclically recorded.
The instrument architecture consists of two thermally decoupled units, the sensor module with optics, the detectors and readout electronics, as well as a shutter also for the on-board calibration. The main electronics unit contains the redundant instrument control and power supply, as well as the calibration sources. The highly integrated measurement system is completed by a pointing/scanning unit, which orients the optical path either to Mercury or to the calibration sources.
The DLR Institute of Optical Sensor Systems developed the instrument design, integrates and verifies the optical performance and calibrates the instrument based on measurements in the infrared laboratory.
The development is carried out in close cooperation with partners from science and industry, the Principle Investigator of the University of Münster, the DLR Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin, Kayser Threde (now OHB) - Munich, Astrofeinwerktechnik - Berlin, the Polish Institute of Cosmic Research - Warsaw and the engineering office Ulmer - Frankfurt/Oder.
MERTIS Block Diagram and Design
