From its orbit, at an altitude of about 620 kilometres, PRISMA will observe the Earth on a global scale with different eyes, being equipped with innovative electro-optical instrumentation. The Italian satellite will look at the planet with the most powerful operative hyperspectral instrument in the world, able to work in numerous, narrow and contiguous bands arranged from the visible to the near infrared (VNIR, Visible and Near InfraRed) and up to the infrared shortwave (SWIR, Short Wave InfraRed).
PRISMA is a program funded by ASI and represents a global excellence, which highlights the capacity of Italy to provide a turnkey space system, from design to construction, from launching to ground data management. PRISMA was developed by Temporary Consortium of Companies, headed by OHB Italia, responsible for the mission and managing the three main segments (ground, flight and launch), and Leonardo, who made the electro-optical instrumentation.
The launch will take place aboard the ESA’s launcher designed and conceived in Italy: VEGA produced by AVIO. Telespazio set up the mission control centre, while data acquisition and processing will take place at the Matera Space Centre.
The mission will be able to offer an unprecedented contribution to the observation of natural resources from space and to the study of main environmental processes (e.g. interactions between atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere; observation of environmental and climate change on a global level; and the effects of man’s activities on ecosystems). At an application level, PRISMA will be able to provide precious information to support prevention of natural hazards (such as hydrogeological) and anthropic (including soil pollution), monitoring of cultural heritage, aid actions to humanitarian crises, agricultural activities and exploitation of mineral resources.
Unlike the passive optical satellite sensors currently in operation, which record solar radiation reflected by our planet in a limited number of spectral bands - normally a maximum of about ten – PRISMA will be able, thanks to the instrumentation on board, to acquire 240 bands (239 spectral bands plus the panchromatic band). This will make it possible to refine knowledge regarding natural resources and the main environmental processes in progress, such as phenomena associated with climate change.
PRISMA represents the perfect synthesis of an industrial system, of research and complete planning. An industrial grouping made up of:
OHB Italia is responsible for managing the entire program and the mission, system engineering, design, platform development and integration and all satellite validation activities. The satellite has been integrated at the OHB Italia facilities in Tortona, Alessandria.
Leonardo has designed and built in campi Bisenzio (near Florence) PRISMA’s electro-optical payload, the world’s most powerful hyperspectral instrument currently operating for Earth observation. Also from Campi Bisenzio comes the star tracker that will allow the satellite to navigate in space, while in Nerviano (near Milan) Leonardo has released PRISMA’s solar panels and power supply unit.
Telespazio has released the Ground Segment - which includes the mission control centre in Fucino (l’Aquila) and the data acquisition and processing centre in Matera – and will manage the LEOP (Launch and Early Orbit Phase) as well as in-orbit test activities.
Finally, Thales Alenia Space has implemented the data transmission system on board the satellite.
VEGA will be the ESA launcher that will take PRISMA into orbit. This will be launch number 14 for the carrier made by AVIO, an international group leader in the field of space launchers, in propulsion and space transport. AVIO is the prime contractor for VEGA, the space launcher designed to carry satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), which allowed Italy to have direct access to space. AVIO manages VEGA’s industrial supply chain, which includes companies from seven different European countries. VEGA is developed and manufactured for 65% in Italy, while the remaining 35% of production activities is spread over Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, and France.