Remote Atmospheric and Ionospheric Detection System
International Space Station
On October 5, 2009, the RAIDS (Remote Atmospheric and Ionospheric Detection System) instrument, part of the HREP mission, had successfully achieved first motion. After docking at the ISS JEM-EF (International Space Station Japanese Experiment Module – Exposed Facility) in late September 2009, the instrument successfully progressed through a series of internal electrical verification checks that culminated in the release of the latching mechanism and the initiation of the scanning motion for the sensor section of the instrument. The instrument scanned the atmosphere between altitudes of 90 and 350 km over a waveband of 55–870 nm.
RSI's Contribution
Research Support Instruments designed, built, and fabricated, the EUV, FUV, MUV, and NUV spectrometers, telescopes, detector modules, and power supplies for the RAIDS instrument under contract to the Naval Research Laboratory. It was manifested as part of NASA’s HREP (HICO [hyperspectral imager for the coastal ocean] / RAIDS Experiment Payload) mission. HREP was launched from Tanegashima Japan on September 11, 2009 at 2:01 AM JST. Approximately 1 week later the HTV (H2B Transfer Vehicle) cargo carrier was captured and docked to the ISS by the ISS remote arm. Four days later HREP was removed from the HTV and deployed at node 6 of the JEM-EF.
