IPERLITE: A Hyperspectral Satellite Mission for Improved Earth Observation Image Quality
Today, SpaceX has successfully launched a hyperspectral satellite into orbit on behalf of VITO from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Carried aboard the Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Transporter-15 mission, the satellite will deliver enhanced imaging capabilities from space to support the development of improved Earth observation applications.
Belgian Space Partnership
In June 2025, the European Space Agency (ESA), VITO, and Aerospacelab joined forces for the IPERLITE mission, a VITO-led initiative funded by ESA and the Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO). On Friday evening 28 November 2025, the mission successfully launched using Aerospacelab’s VSP-150 satellite platform, provided as a service to VITO. The NAHLA satellite carries cutting-edge technologies developed by Belgian partners AMOS, DELTATEC, imec, and SPACEBEL. The main payload on board is the CSIMBA instrument (Compact Smartspectral Imager for Monitoring Bio-agricultural Areas), which includes a powerful hyperspectral sensor designed to capture Earth observation imagery at an enhanced spatial resolution of 20 metres.
The NAHLA satellite in Aerospacelab’s cleanroom.
Copyright © Aerospacelab. All Rights Reserved.
IPERLITE Mission in Numbers
The IPERLITE mission, led by VITO, represents a new generation of compact hyperspectral satellites designed to deliver high-quality Earth observation data from a smaller platform. Built on Aerospacelab’s VSP-150 platform, the CSIMBA instrument operates from an altitude of 510 km, offering a 20 m ground sampling distance (GSD) across a swath of 80 kilometres.
At the mission's core is a hyperspectral imager based on a 4096×3072 CMOS detector with 154 thin-film interference filters, covering a spectral range from 475 to 900 nm with a 5 nm spectral resolution. The instrument integrates a compact Three-Mirror Anastigmat (TMA) telescope (focal length 135 mm), achieving a strong performance for a small-satellite system.
To boost image quality, IPERLITE uses digital Time Delay Integration (TDI) with up to 12 accumulation stages, significantly improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The system supports advanced imaging modes, including combined panchromatic-hyperspectral acquisition for enhanced sharpness and spatial detail. Its powerful onboard electronics can process 25.4 Gbps of data, producing high-quality imagery at rates up to 360 frames per second, with a daily downlink capacity of 18.75 GB, equivalent to 17,500 km² of hyperspectral coverage per day.
IPERLITE mission patch
The Challenge of Small Hyperspectral Missions
Compared to larger hyperspectral missions, IPERLITE faced the challenge of delivering high image quality from a much smaller and lighter platform. The limited optical aperture reduced light collection, making advanced techniques like digital Time Delay Integration (TDI) essential to boost signal quality. Ensuring thermal and mechanical stability within compact dimensions required precise engineering, while data handling and downlink constraints demanded powerful onboard processing. VITO plays a central role in achieving scientific-grade hyperspectral data quality, leading the calibration, validation, and data processing activities on the ground to ensure radiometric accuracy, geometric precision, and mission interoperability.
Despite the compact design, IPERLITE pushes the boundaries of miniaturised hyperspectral sensing while addressing challenges in stability, calibration, and data handling. This mission will demonstrate that small satellites can play a crucial role in complementing major Earth observation programs through agile, high-quality imaging.
“The challenge is clear: bringing the performance of large hyperspectral missions into a smaller, more agile platform. Through IPERLITE, we’re demonstrating how advanced sensor design and VITO’s ground-based calibration excellence can make that vision a reality.”
— Dr. Iskander Benhadj, Team Lead Space, Remote Sensing Systems & Technology, VITO
Looking Ahead
Following its successful launch, IPERLITE will begin an in-orbit commissioning phase during which VITO will lead the calibration, validation, and performance verification of the payload to ensure the delivery of scientific and accurate hyperspectral data. Once operational, the mission will provide valuable insights for environmental monitoring, agriculture, land use mapping, climate-related research, and water quality monitoring for better policy advice.
The resulting data will also serve as a technology pathfinder, enabling cross-calibration with larger missions such as PRISMA, EnMAP and others. By bridging innovation in miniaturised sensor technology with rigorous scientific validation, IPERLITE aims to expand access to high-quality hyperspectral imagery and strengthen Belgium’s leadership in next-generation Earth observation.
Learn More
Learn more about the advanced technology behind this small hyperspectral satellite mission in this research paper.
