The objective is the research and development of a standardized methodology to perform fully traceable thermal imaging during TB-TV spacecraft testing. This could be also used for thermal imaging of the S/C performed in flight.

The main tasks of this activity are the following: 1) Metrological assessment and gap analysis of existing thermal imaging methodology, data processing and uncertainty assessment, related but not limited to aerospace applications. Develop validated traceable processes and uncertainty calculations and demonstrate them on a given representative case 2) Assessment of thermal imagers calibration and related traceability to standards and develop validated traceable calibration methods and demonstrate them on a given representative case 3) Assessment of state-of-the art methods to perform materials BRDF characterization and related uncertainty traceable to national standards. Propose and demonstrate validated traceable methods of a given representative case. 4) Assessment of state-of-the art methods to perform calibration of sun simulated sources or IR radiation sources and propose and demonstrate validated traceable calibration methods of a given representative case. 5) Development of a generalized methodology and propose the way forward for the standardization of thermal imaging of spacecraft during TB-TV testing, considering traceability to ITS 90 standards. The study will be based on the following inputs: - the output of on-going research activities on the subject (TRP study on Infrared camera-based system for 3D thermal measurement) - knowledge of the state-of-the-art methodologies for the characterization of materials BRDF - survey of methods used for calibration of thermal imagers - knowledge of the state-of-the-art for calibration of sun simulation or IR radiation sources The study output is a validated, alternative and complementing method to contact thermometry, with demonstrated traceability to ITS-90, for validation and verification during spacecraft TB-TV testing.