摘要： The development of remote sensing using an imaging spectrometer is traced from its origins to the current highly performing spectral sensors. The advancement of the technology has primarily been driven by novel optical designs and focal plane array development. Current state-of-the-art dispersive sensors, employing innovative grating or prism arrangements, operate at low F-numbers while maintaining a high degree of aberration control. These challenging designs have been implemented in hardware with alignment tolerances on the order of microns. The application of imaging spectrometers to science problems that require highly accurate radiometry necessitates new characterization approaches that combine state-of-the-art radiometric sources and detailed sensor models. Future challenges are to reduce the size, weight, and power requirements while maintaining the performance of current systems.