FORUM’s onboard blackbody (left) calibrated by PTB

To operate, the spectrometer that will fly on the European Space Agency’s upcoming FORUM mission needs a reference source – a device that will be used to calibrate the instrument to make sure its measurements remain as accurate as possible while in space.

For a spectrometer of this kind, this reference source is a ‘blackbody’ – a physical object that, in theory, absorbs all electromagnetic radiation and reflects none. The National Institute of Germany (PTB) have developed a reference blackbody that allowed them to calibrate the blackbody which will actually fly on FORUM.

This image shows FORUM’s blackbody during calibration at PTB.

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[Image description: The image shows a scientific setup, with two cylindrical components prominent at the centre. The left one is positioned horizontally, wrapped in reflective silvery foil insulation, with its open end facing the viewer. Through the opening, the fully black inside of the cylinder is visible. The other cylinder, to the right side, is positioned vertically, and it is mounted on a metallic frame and surrounded by structural supports. Cables and wires, most of them light orange, are connected to various parts of the setup.]