NovaSAR S-band SAR Payload
Surrey Satellite Technology Limited
S-band synthetic aperture radar payload flown on NovaSAR-1 (launched 2018), with six imaging modes and an integrated AIS receiver.
Technical specifications
- Frequency
- S-band, 3.1-3.3GHz
- Antenna
- 3m x 1m phased array, 18 phase centres
- Peak RF power
- 1.8kW
- Design life
- 7 years
- Orbit
- 580km SSO
- Stripmap mode
- 6m resolution, 13-20km swath
- Maritime ScanSAR mode
- 6x14m resolution, 400km swath
- ScanSAR mode
- 20m resolution, 50-100km swath
- ScanSAR Wide mode
- 30m resolution, 55-150km swath
- Dual-pol mode
- 20m or 45m resolution
- Tri-pol mode
- 30m or 35m resolution
- Secondary payload
- AIS maritime vessel tracking receiver
- Flight heritage
- NovaSAR-1, launched September 2018
- TRL
- 9 (flight-proven)
About
NovaSAR is SSTL’s S-band (3.1-3.3GHz) synthetic aperture radar payload, built around a 3m x 1m phased array antenna with 18 phase centres and 1.8kW peak RF power, designed for a 7-year life in a 580km sun-synchronous orbit. It offers six imaging modes: Stripmap (6m resolution, 13-20km swath), Maritime ScanSAR (6x14m resolution, 400km swath), ScanSAR (20m resolution, 50-100km swath), ScanSAR Wide (30m resolution, 55-150km swath), Dual-pol (20m or 45m resolution) and Tri-pol (30m or 35m resolution). NovaSAR-1 was launched in September 2018 and also carries a secondary AIS (Automatic Identification System) payload for maritime vessel tracking.
Documentation
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