HyperScape50

The HyperScape50 is a 1U CubeSat VNIR hyperspectral pushbroom imager developed by Simera Sense, part of the xScape50 payload family. It uses a continuously variable optical filter (CVOF) to achieve configurable spectral sampling without a diffraction grating or prism.

The instrument covers 460-860 nm with a spectral resolution of FWHM 3.5% of the central wavelength. The CVOF provides 400 available spectral positions; each acquisition selects 32 user-configured bands from that pool. Pixel size is 5.5 um across 4096 pixels, delivering 30 m GSD at 500 km altitude and a 120 km swath at 12-bit depth. Each band supports 1-to-8 stage digital TDI. The product page states 120 km swath; a figure of 12 km appears on the Simera homepage, consistent with a transposition error on other xScape50 listings -- the product page value is used here.^[1]

The HyperScape100 uses the same CVOF technology and the same 460-860 nm range with the same 32-of-400 band selection scheme, packaged in a 1.5U form factor with a longer focal length that yields 4.75 m GSD and 19.4 km swath.

Flight heritage and named missions carrying HyperScape50 have not been confirmed in public sources as of May 2026. The 32-band-per-pass figure is the acquisition band count; some third-party listings may cite 400 as the band count, referring to the total pool of available spectral positions.