Pointing and spectral assignment design and control for MERTIS

Abstract

The development of MERTIS, a miniaturized thermal infrared imaging spectrometer onboard of ESA's cornerstone mission BepiColombo to Mercury has been completed. Qualification of the design is followed by the calibration of the instrument showing up first results of the technology used. Based on subsequent viewing of different targets including on-board calibration sources the push-broom instrument will use a 2-dimensional bolometer detector to provide spatial and spectral information. Here repetition accuracy of pointing and spectral assignment is supported by the design of instrument components under the restriction of limited resources. Additionally a concept of verification after launch and cruise phase of the mission was developed. The article describes how this has been implemented and what the results under environment testing are.