NASA 2009 HyspIRI Science Workshop Report

From August 11 13, 2009, NASA held a three-day workshop to consider the Hyperspectral Infrared Imager (HyspIRI) mission recommended for implementation by the 2007 report from the U.S. National Research Council Earth Science and Applications from Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond (also known as the Earth Science Decadal Survey or, simply, the Decadal Survey). The open workshop provided a forum to present the observational requirements for the mission and assess its anticipated impact on scientific and operational applications; the open forum also offered the opportunity to obtain feedback from the broader scientific community on the mission concept.
The workshop participants concluded that the HyspIRI mission would provide a significant new capability to study ecosystems and natural hazards at spatial scales relevant to human resource use. In addition, participants reviewed the Draft Preliminary HyspIRI Mission Level 1 Requirements and confirmed that they were achievable with the mission concept presented and would provide the necessary data needed to address the science questions identified for the mission and by the Decadal Survey. These requirements could be met using the reference instrument designs and be implemented through the use of current technology.
The workshop participants, like the Decadal Survey itself, strongly endorsed the need for the HyspIRI mission and felt the mission, as defined, would accomplish the intended science.