| 2007-12-18 | To bloggers |
RADARSAR-2 launch video
Fig. 1. RADARSAT-2 being installed in the Thermal Vacuum chamber
Fig. 2. Launch vehicle at the launch pad
According to the MDA Geospacial Services representatives, the first successful comm. pass with the new generation RADARSAT-2 SAR satellite launched last Friday was carried out. The satellite was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on a Soyuz launch vehicle on December 14, 2007. Launch video is available at the following link: http://www.videocorner.tv/index.php?langue=en.
RADARSAT-2 is the product of a unique partnership between the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA). MDA will operate the satellite and ground segment, while the CSA is contributing funds for the construction and launch of the satellite.
RADARSAT-2 has been designed with significant and powerful technical advancements which include 3m high-resolution imaging, flexibility in selection of polarization, left and right-looking imaging options, superior data storage and more precise measurements of spacecraft position and attitude. It will eventually replace the RADARSAT-1 satellite, launched back in 1995. Expected life span for the new satellite is 7 years.
The satellite was put into a sun-synchronous orbit at the altitude of 798 kilometers with 24 hours of repeat cycle. The satellite will become fully-fledged in four successive steps of deployment: 1 - Release and Stabilization, 2 - Solar Arrays Deployment, 3 - Antenna Tie-Downs Release and SAR Antenna Deployment, 4 - Imaging State. Currently it in on step 3 and has successfully executed commands uplinked from the ground.
The following scheme illustrates all the imaging mode that will be available for the customers:
Imaging modes
Basic feature and benefits vs. RADARSAT 1:
• Increased resolution – 3 m vs. 8 m;
• 11 imaging modes;
• Right and left-looking modes;
• Better opportunities for thematic interpretation of images thanks to selective HH, HV, VH, VV polarization modes. RADARSAT-1 supports only HH polarization;
• Reduced programming lead time for emergency and urgent acquisitions – up to 3 hours;
• Increased revisit times with maximum swath width: on the equator – 2-3 days as opposed to 6, over 480 of latitude – 1-2 days vs. 4 days and a daily revisit for attitudes over 700.
Radar data is used increasingly more along with optical images. Main applications for RADARSAT-2 images are as follows: agriculture, surface-wave field estimation, ice and snow cover studies, geological exploration and mapping, oil slicks detection, ship detection, soil condition changes tracking, etc.
We will be waiting for more news and images from the new era satellite!
Cooperation between ScanEx RDC, CSA and RADARSAT International Inc. (RSI) started in 2004 with the signing of the license agreement on RADARSAT-1 data reception. Based on this agreement ScanEx RDC became the operator of the RADARSAT network of stations in Russia and CIS. To date, 10 ground stations are receiving RADARSAT-1 data, 7 of which are certified and joined the international network of RADARSAT-1 data reception stations. This network is the unique and the only one in Russia upgraded and ready for the RADARSAT-2 data reception.
RADARSAT-2 is the product of a unique partnership between the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA). MDA will operate the satellite and ground segment, while the CSA is contributing funds for the construction and launch of the satellite.
RADARSAT-2 has been designed with significant and powerful technical advancements which include 3m high-resolution imaging, flexibility in selection of polarization, left and right-looking imaging options, superior data storage and more precise measurements of spacecraft position and attitude. It will eventually replace the RADARSAT-1 satellite, launched back in 1995. Expected life span for the new satellite is 7 years.
The satellite was put into a sun-synchronous orbit at the altitude of 798 kilometers with 24 hours of repeat cycle. The satellite will become fully-fledged in four successive steps of deployment: 1 - Release and Stabilization, 2 - Solar Arrays Deployment, 3 - Antenna Tie-Downs Release and SAR Antenna Deployment, 4 - Imaging State. Currently it in on step 3 and has successfully executed commands uplinked from the ground.
The following scheme illustrates all the imaging mode that will be available for the customers:
Imaging modes
| Beam mode | Nominal swath width | Approximate resolution | Approximate incidence angle | Polarization | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultra-Fine | 20 km | 3 m | 3 m | 300 - 400 | Selective Single Polarization |
| Multi-Look Fine | 50 km | 8 m | 8 m | 300 - 500 | |
| Fine Quad-Pol | 25 km | 12 m | 8 m | 200 - 410 | Quad-Polarization |
| Standard Quad-Pol | 25 km | 25 km | 8 m | 200 - 410 | |
| Fine | 50 km | 8 m | 8 m | 300 - 500 | Selective Polarization |
| Standard | 100 km | 25 m | 26 m | 200 - 490 | |
| Wide | 150 km | 30 m | 26 m | 200 - 450 | |
| ScanSAR Narrow | 300 km | 50 m | 50 m | 200 - 460 | |
| ScanSAR Wide | 500 km | 100 m | 100 m | 200 - 490 | |
| Extended High | 75 km | 18 m | 26 m | 490 - 600 | Single Polarization |
| Extended Low | 170 km | 40 m | 26 m | 100 - 230 | |
Basic feature and benefits vs. RADARSAT 1:
• Increased resolution – 3 m vs. 8 m;
• 11 imaging modes;
• Right and left-looking modes;
• Better opportunities for thematic interpretation of images thanks to selective HH, HV, VH, VV polarization modes. RADARSAT-1 supports only HH polarization;
• Reduced programming lead time for emergency and urgent acquisitions – up to 3 hours;
• Increased revisit times with maximum swath width: on the equator – 2-3 days as opposed to 6, over 480 of latitude – 1-2 days vs. 4 days and a daily revisit for attitudes over 700.
Radar data is used increasingly more along with optical images. Main applications for RADARSAT-2 images are as follows: agriculture, surface-wave field estimation, ice and snow cover studies, geological exploration and mapping, oil slicks detection, ship detection, soil condition changes tracking, etc.
We will be waiting for more news and images from the new era satellite!
Cooperation between ScanEx RDC, CSA and RADARSAT International Inc. (RSI) started in 2004 with the signing of the license agreement on RADARSAT-1 data reception. Based on this agreement ScanEx RDC became the operator of the RADARSAT network of stations in Russia and CIS. To date, 10 ground stations are receiving RADARSAT-1 data, 7 of which are certified and joined the international network of RADARSAT-1 data reception stations. This network is the unique and the only one in Russia upgraded and ready for the RADARSAT-2 data reception.
 | Animation, illustrating the flight and satellite imagery |
Source: Canadian Space Agency web-site:
http://www.space.gc.ca/asc/eng/default.asp
Information portal about RADARSAT-2:
http://www.radarsat2.info/
