VISPO project: visible image-spectrometer for planetary observations

Satellite instrumentations designed for planetary studies are often open to other interesting applications from ground: not only one can efficiently carry out detailed calibrations before space data become available, but also the prototypes of the satellite instruments can be successfully employed in different fields ranging from astrophysics to cosmology. Both possibilities are opened by coupling these instruments with ground based telescopes having short focal ratios, like those designed for far infrared studies. These possibilities are particularly amazing in view of the long delay usually present between the launch and the collection of the first scientific data (months in case of Mars Express, years in case of Rosetta). We propose in this article to employ immediately this technology, by coupling the developing model of the Image-Spectrometer VIRTIS-M with the ground telescope MITO. This project will allow us to perform a better calibration of the space qualified instrument and observational campaigns, including some important cosmological investigations. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.