The Herschel Space Observatory comprises three instruments to gather and analyze infrared radiation coming from the outer regions of the Universe. The three spectrometers, two of which are connected to cameras, cover different wavelengths and areas of the sky. These instruments are used to separate the basic components of the light spectrum for easier analysis. The European teams for HIFI and SPIRE sought out Canadian expertise in sub-millimetre astronomy (link to the glossary) to improve the performance of these instruments.

• Heterodyne Instrument for the Far Infrared (HIFI)
• Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS)
• Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE)