The Hyperspectral Thermal Emission Spectrometer (HyTES) is an airborne imaging spectrometer with 256 spectral channels between 7.5 and 12 micrometers in the thermal infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum and 512 pixels cross-track. HyTES is being developed to support the Hyperspectral Infrared Imager (HyspIRI) mission. HyspIRI  includes two instruments mounted on a satellite in Low Earth Orbit. There is an imaging spectrometer measuring from the visible to short wave infrared (VSWIR) and a multispectral thermal infrared (TIR) imager. The VSWIR and TIR instruments will both have a spatial resolution of 60 m at nadir. HyTES will provide  the HyspIRI Group data at much higher spatial and spectral resolutions to help determine the optimum band positions for the HyspIRI-TIR instrument as well as provide precursor datasets for Earth Science research in the TIR.

HyTES completed its first flights in July 2012.