InSAR Mission Concepts for Solid Earth and Other Science Applications
Abstract
Repeat-pass interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) mission design is influenced by a variety of factors: science objectives and measurement requirements, temporal characteristics of the observed science targets, available power, mass, and volume for the mission, and spectrum allocation, among others. In addition to system design trades, technology and technology readiness must be considered in terms of the overall system performance and cost. InSAR observations to date have been acquired with spacecraft carrying SAR instruments with rectangular passive or active array antenna systems, including Seasat, SIR-C, ERS, Radarsat, Envisat, JERS, and ALOS. Several planned systems will also carry phased array systems, including Radarsat-2 and Terrasar-X. Now, a generation of reflector technologies has matured in the communications satellite arena that has the potential for reducing mission complexity and cost, and several systems are being planned with this technology. We have carried out a trade study of InSAR missions in the context of specific science missions that are of interest to the science community: InSAR for solid earth deformation, biomass and soil moisture characterization, coastal processes, and rapid response to disasters. The approach is to examine the space of technology, implementation, and science return, searching for breakpoints that can point to missions with maximized science value.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2006
- Bibcode:
- 2006AGUFM.G51A..01R
- Keywords:
-
- 1241 Satellite geodesy: technical issues (6994;
- 7969);
- 1294 Instruments and techniques