What type of payloads capture data from several contiguous spectral bands at narrow bandwidth intervals?

The correct choice is hyperspectral payloads. Hyperspectral imaging captures data across a vast number of contiguous spectral bands, often exceeding hundreds, and does so with very narrow bandwidth intervals. This capability allows for detailed analysis of the spectral characteristics of materials, facilitating applications such as vegetation analysis, mineralogy, and environmental monitoring. The fine spectral resolution enables the identification of subtle differences between materials, which can be crucial for applications requiring precise spectral information.

In contrast, while multispectral payloads also capture data across multiple spectral bands, they typically include fewer bands than hyperspectral systems and with wider bandwidth intervals. Electro-optical and thermal payloads focus on different aspects of data capture—electro-optical systems mainly deal with the visible spectrum and some near-infrared, while thermal payloads capture infrared radiation and are used primarily for temperature measurements rather than detailed spectral analysis. Therefore, hyperspectral systems stand out due to their ability to provide detailed spectral information across a broad range of contiguous wavelengths.