US-based Teledyne Technologies has secured a $15m contract with Nasa to provide hyperspectral remote-sensing imagery from an instrument to be installed on the International Space Station (ISS).

Being built by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the hyperspectral instrument will be integrated into the multi-user system for earth sensing (MUSES) earth-observation platform at the station.

The advanced spectrometer is said to be the first instrument being installed in the MUSES platform, which will also host three other Earth-observing tools.

"The hyperspectral sensor is designed to operate in the light wavelength range of visible through the near infrared."

The hyperspectral sensor is designed to operate in the light wavelength range of visible through the near infrared. It is expected to collect more than 70 million km² of data a year.

Teledyne Technologies chairman, president and CEO Robert Mehrabian said: "Our partnerships with Nasa and DLR further expand the commercial use of the ISS, while providing our governments with unique imaging data."

Collected hyperspectral data will help Nasa’s scientists with various applications, including forestry and agricultural management, atmospheric research, and other areas of scientific and humanitarian importance.

The MUSES platform is expected to start operations in 2016, while the hyperspectral instrument and imagery will begin the following year.

Teledyne Technologies provides sophisticated instrumentation, digital imaging products and software, aerospace and defence electronics, and engineered systems.

The company has operations in the US, Canada, the UK, and Western and Northern Europe.