OMEGA is the visible and infrared imaging spectrometer for the ESA Mars Express probe operating since 2003
OMEGA is a versatile hyperspectral instrument sensitive to light from 0.35 to 5.1 µm. It observes the Mars surface (mostly but not limited to nadir pointings), the atmosphere (limbs), and Phobos during Mars Express flybys. It can detect absorptions from the surface and atmosphere (gases, ices, minerals), diffusion (e.g. clouds, aerosols), and emissions (atmospheric night/day glows). it can also sense the daytime temperature of the Mars surface and atmosphere.
The instrument capabilities coupled to the highly excentric and non sun-synchronous orbit of MEx, alows for studying Mars with OMEGA at all spatial and temporal scales:
OMEGA has been developed by IAS (Paris-Saclay University) and LESIA (Observatoire de Paris) with the support of CNES, with a participation of IAPS/INAF (formely IFSI) in Italy, and IKI in Russia. The instrument has originally been developed for the Russian mission Mars-96, lost during the launch in November 1996. The instrument is under the scientific responsibility of IAS. The lead funding agency is CNES in France. ASI is the Italian lead funding agency. The OMEGA team acknowledges ongoing support from ESA for science operations and archiving.