A synthetic aperture radar facility for a Shuttle Spacelab mission

The system features and missions defined by a feasibility study for an SAR facility to be flown on a Spacelab-Shuttle mission are reviewed. The SAR equipment will use both C- and X-band carrier frequencies, i.e., 5.3 and 9.6 GHz, respectively. An option is also provided for two polarizations which can be operated either alternately or simultaneously. Also, the system offers two off-nadir angles of 46 and 24 deg, with measurement sensitivity of -26/-22 dB, C/X-band. The SAR system will be used to determine the operational capabilities of an operational system, provide data for the user community, and delineate system features which are of value to users. Large area surveys will be undertaken, and performance of the system will aid in design parameter definition for an operational system. Details of the antenna design, electronics features, and data management operations are presented.