Mini-TES

An image of a Mini-TES [1]
An image from Mini-TES on board the Mars Exploration Rovers.

The Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) is an infrared spectrometer used for detecting the composition of a material (typically rocks) from a distance. By making its measurements in the thermal infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum, it has the ability to penetrate through the dust coatings common to the Martian surface which is usually problematic for remote sensing observations. There is one on each of the two Mars Exploration Rovers.[2]

  1. ^ "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Details". Retrieved 2005-10-04.
  2. ^ Silverman, S; Peralta, R; Christensen, P; Mehall, G (2005). "Miniature thermal emission spectrometer for the Mars Exploration Rover". Acta Astronautica. 59 (8–11): 990–999. Bibcode:2006AcAau..59..990S. doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2005.07.055.