xScape50

The xScape50 is a 1U CubeSat optical payload platform from Simera Sense, designed for wide-area Earth observation from the smallest practical CubeSat buses. Three spectral configurations share the same 1U mechanical envelope: TriScape50 (RGB/video), MultiScape50 (multispectral with digital TDI), and HyperScape50 (hyperspectral).^[1]

All 1U variants share the same optical train: 93.9 mm focal length, 11.75 mm aperture, 4096-pixel CMOS global shutter sensor at 5.5 um pixel pitch, 30 m GSD at 500 km altitude, 120 km swath, and 13.68 degree across-track field of view. Physical dimensions are 120.5 x 95.88 x 90.17 mm at 0.51 kg. All variants carry 128 GB EDAC-protected NAND flash and are rated fully functional to 15 kRad, -10 deg C to +50 deg C.^[2]

The TriScape50 is the RGB snapshot and video variant. It records 4096 x 3072 pixels (12.6 MP) through an RGB Bayer pattern with NIR cut-off (450-670 nm), 10-bit depth, and supports 1080p30 video. No TDI is used on this variant. Power supply is 5 VDC at 1.8 A.^[2]

The MultiScape50 is the multispectral variant. It exposes 8 VNIR bands (1 panchromatic plus 7 spectral bands from 450-900 nm) at 12-bit depth with 1-32 stages of digital TDI per band individually configurable; 3.25 W idle, 5.50 W imaging.^[3]

The HyperScape50 is the hyperspectral variant. It uses a Continuously Variable Optical Filter (CVOF) spanning 460-860 nm, delivering 32 user-configurable bands selected from 400 available spectral positions. TDI is 1-8 stages per band individually. Power is 4.50 W idle, 7.75 W imaging.^[4]

The 120 km swath at 30 m GSD positions the xScape50 family for high-revisit wide-area monitoring applications including agricultural surveillance, disaster response, and maritime domain awareness, where coverage rate matters more than spatial resolution.