Make it faster and cheaper (2008–2012)
Xiomas Technologies founder and principle investigator John Green began his work in developing airborne sensor technologies while working at Daedalus Enterprises in the 1980s and 90s and launched Xiomas with a NASA SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) award received in 2008. The directive of these Phase I and Phase II contracts was to reduce operational costs of current airborne optical technology by a factor of 2x to 3x by increasing coverage rate and decreasing flight time. The resulting Wide Area Imager (WAI) has flown about 30 flights, including a number of engineering tests, calibration flights, several flights for two commercial imaging projects as well as fire-mapping flights.
WAI specifications include:
- Multi-band system – 2-5 bands
- 2 band QWIP for mid-wave and long-wave infrared
- 3 band color infrared sensor (green red NIR)
- Step – Stare” optical system combines high resolution (300 uRadian) and wide field of view (90 degrees)
- Data system generates fire layer and terrain layer
- Real-time Orthorectification Processing Unit (OPU) generates GIS compatible files
- Image classification and compression
- Data transmission via ethernet — air-to-ground or satellite
Take it to space (2013–2017)
From 2013 to 2017, Xiomas was awarded additional SBIR contracts to further develop the step-stare concept with a goal of determining how this technology would perform in low earth orbit. The Thermal Mapping Airborne Simulator (TMAS) is designed to operate in low earth polar orbit, similar to MODIS, operated by NASA Ames Research Center. The TMAS will have the same capability to map the globe every one to two days but with much higher spatial resolution (94 meters) and much lower cost.
TMAS specifications include:
- 110 degree field of view (same as MODIS)
- 94 meter spatial resolution (similar to ASTER)
- 3 spectral bands (with additional bands possible)
Make it smaller (2019–2023)
From 2019 to 2023, Xiomas was awarded additional SBIR contracts to develop the Three Band IR Detector (TBIRD) and design a multi-layered constellation of low cost thermal sensors for global high precision measurements of fire intensity and other thermal features. The TBIRD constellation includes three band thermal IR sensors in low-earth polar and elliptical orbits, high-altitude, long-endurance solar aircraft and stratospheric balloons, as well as sensors is low altitude aircraft.
Launch to LEO by August 2025
In 2022, Xiomas was awarded a TMAS Sequential Phase II to finalize the design and launch two systems for stratospheric and low earth orbit operations.
In 2023, Xiomas acquired Daedalus Scanners and is in process of developing an advanced Airborne Multispectral Sensor (AMS) for commercial use throughout the globe.
Make it faster and cheaper (2008–2012)
Xiomas Technologies founder and principle investigator John Green began his work in developing airborne sensor technologies while working at Daedalus Enterprises in the 1980s and 90s and launched Xiomas with a NASA SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) award received in 2008. The directive of these Phase I and Phase II contracts was to reduce operational costs of current airborne optical technology by a factor of 2x to 3x by increasing coverage rate and decreasing flight time. The resulting Wide Area Imager (WAI) has flown about 30 flights, including a number of engineering tests, calibration flights, several flights for two commercial imaging projects as well as fire-mapping flights.
TMAS specifications include:
- 110 degree field of view (same as MODIS)
- 94 meter spatial resolution (similar to ASTER)
- 3 spectral bands (with additional bands possible)
Take it to space (2013–2017)
From 2013 to 2017, Xiomas was awarded additional SBIR contracts to further develop the step-stare concept with a goal of determining how this technology would perform in low earth orbit. The Thermal Mapping Airborne Simulator (TMAS) is designed to operate in low earth polar orbit, similar to MODIS, operated by NASA Ames Research Center. The TMAS will have the same capability to map the globe every one to two days but with much higher spatial resolution (94 meters) and much lower cost.
TMAS specifications include:
- 110 degree field of view (same as MODIS)
- 94 meter spatial resolution (similar to ASTER)
- 3 spectral bands (with additional bands possible)
Make it smaller (2019–2023)
From 2019 to 2023, Xiomas was awarded additional SBIR contracts to develop the Three Band IR Detector (TBIRD) and design a multi-layered constellation of low cost thermal sensors for global high precision measurements of fire intensity and other thermal features. The TBIRD constellation includes three band thermal IR sensors in low-earth polar and elliptical orbits, high-altitude, long-endurance solar aircraft and stratospheric balloons, as well as sensors is low altitude aircraft.
Launch to LEO by August 2025
In 2022, Xiomas was awarded a TMAS Sequential Phase II to finalize the design and launch two systems for stratospheric and low earth orbit operations.
In 2023, Xiomas acquired Daedalus Scanners and is in process of developing an advanced Airborne Multispectral Sensor (AMS) for commercial use throughout the globe.