Ground and In-Flight Calibration of the OSIRIS-REx Camera Suite

• Published in: Space science reviews 2020, Vol.216 (1), p.12-12, Article 12
• Main Authors: Golish, D. R., Drouet d’Aubigny, C., Rizk, B., DellaGiustina, D. N., Smith, P. H., Becker, K., Shultz, N., Stone, T., Barker, M. K., Mazarico, E., Tatsumi, E., Gaskell, R. W., Harrison, L., Merrill, C., Fellows, C., Williams, B., O’Dougherty, S., Whiteley, M., Hancock, J., Clark, B. E., Hergenrother, C. W., Lauretta, D. S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerospace Technology and Astronautics; Apollo asteroids; Asteroid missions; Asteroids; Astrophysics and Astroparticles; Calibration; Cameras; OSIRIS-REx; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Planetology; Sampling; Space Exploration and Astronautics; Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics; Spacecraft; Stray light
• ISSN: 0038-6308; 1572-9672
• DOI: 10.1007/s11214-019-0626-6

The OSIRIS-REx Camera Suite (OCAMS) onboard the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is used to study the shape and surface of the mission’s target, asteroid (101955) Bennu, in support of the selection of a sampling site. We present calibration methods and results for the three OCAMS cameras—MapCam, PolyCam, and SamCam—using data from pre-flight and in-flight calibration campaigns. Pre-flight calibrations established a baseline for a variety of camera properties, including bias and dark behavior, flat fields, stray light, and radiometric calibration. In-flight activities updated these calibrations where possible, allowing us to confidently measure Bennu’s surface. Accurate calibration is critical not only for establishing a global understanding of Bennu, but also for enabling analyses of potential sampling locations and for providing scientific context for the returned sample.