The Mapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europa (MISE): Instrument Development Status and Expected Science Results

The Mapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europa (MISE) is a high-optical throughput pushbroom spectrometer that can collect measurements within Europa’s challenging radiation environment that is planned to be launched on the Europa Clipper mission in 2024. It covers a spectral range from 0.8–5 mm. With an instantaneous field of view of 250 mrad/pixel and a swath width of 300 pixels, this design yields 25 m/pixel spatial sampling in a swath 7.5 km wide at 100 km altitude, and 10 km/pixel full disk images at 40,000 km. MISE will be used to identify and map the distributions of organics, salts, acid hydrates, water ice phases, altered silicates, radiolytic compounds and warm thermal anomalies at global, regional, and local scales on Europa. Mapping the composition of specific landforms is critical to understand surface and subsurface geologic processes, including recent or current activity. High spatial resolution compositional mapping is also essential for detecting small outcrops of potentially recent endogenic organics and salts. MISE is has completed optical alignment and is currently undergoing final environmental testing.