The DLR Small Satellite Mission BIRD

Abstract

For hot spot events as forest and vegetation fires, volcanic activity or burning oil spills and coal seam a dedicated space instrumentation does not exist. Sensors are used now for the observation of these events have some drawbacks because they are not designed for the hot spot investigation. For the near future missions with a new generation of cooled infrared array sensors are planned. The BIRD (Bispectral Infrared Detection) mission will answer a lot of technological questions related to the operations of the infrared sensors in space. An other primary mission objective consists in the investigation of vegetation fires from space by means of these infrared sensors. New concepts of operations and new methods of the data evaluation of hot spots will be demonstrated by the BIRD mission. Last but not least new methods and knowledge in the remote sensing and evaluation of vegetation condition and changes from space will be developed within the BIRD mission. The BIRD mission is a small satellite mission with technological and scientific objectives.