NIGHTPOD
Research Area: Imaging Technology
Expedition(s): 29-ongoing
Principal Investigator(s): ● Massimo Sabbatini, European Space Research and Technology
Centre, Noordwijk, Netherlands
● Esposito MS, Cosine Science & Computing BV, Leiden,
Netherlands
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The objective of the NightPod experiment is to verify
capability of a new tracking device used to improve
digital photography for Earth observation at night by
using long exposure time and compensating for the
relative motion of the International Space Station
(ISS) and Earth. It is a camera support for which
position can be adjusted via 3 axes. The in-built
tracking mechanism can be programmed with
attitude and altitude data of the ISS so that it would
follow any target point.
EARTH BENEFITS
The imagery of the Earth at night has a large number
of potential applications, from the original motivation
to build NightPod, ie, taking images of cities at night
to create a map of the distribution of the population,
to mapping fishing activities, light pollution, and fires.
SPACE BENEFITS
Because a dedicated satellite is not foreseen in the
near future, the most likely candidate suppliers of
high-resolution, global, nocturnal imagery are the
crew aboard the ISS. The NightPod device has been
commissioned by ESA to assist the crew in such tasks: tracking visual targets on the Earth and
neutralizing the effect of ISS motion, allowing for an increase in exposure time, and therefore
the quality of the nocturnal images.
RESULTS
Photographing the Earth with the support of NightPod has resulted in very sharp high-definition
photos of the planet’s surface. The quality of photos far exceeded previous missions, and given
the added clarity, comparisons of the imagery can start to be made over time. Possible
scenarios include: cities at night, vegetation fires at night, visual analysis of maritime
traffic/road traffic, volcano activity at night, urban pollution, squid fishing at night, day/night
transitions. The system has been designed to be adaptable, and astronauts on the space station
Top: NightPod tracking device situated in the
Cupola Module on the International Space
Station. Bottom: Image taken on Nikon D3s
camera using the NightPod device. ESA
image.