The Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer for Cassini

The visual and infrared mapping spectrometer (VIMS) is a remote sensing instrument developed for the Cassini mission to Saturn by an international team representing the national space agencies of the United States, Italy, and France. A dual imaging spectrometer, VIMS' unique design consists of two optical systems boresighted and operating in tandem, coordinated by a common electronics unit. The combined optical system generates 352 2D images simultaneously, each in a separate, contiguous waveband. These are combined by the electronics to produce 'image cubes' in which each image pixel represents a spectrum spanning 0.3 to 5.1 microns in 352 steps. VIMS images will be used to produce detailed spatial maps of the distribution of mineral and chemical species of Saturn's atmosphere, rings, and moons, and the atmosphere of Titan. At some wavelengths VIMS will penetrate Titan's atmosphere to map its surface, and image the night side of many Saturnian objects.