RADARSAT-2

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Launched in December 2007, Canada’s next-generation commercial radar satellite offers powerful technical advancements that will enhance marine surveillance, ice monitoring, disaster management, environmental monitoring, resource management and mapping in Canada and around the world.

This project represents a unique collaboration between government and industry. MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. MDA will own and operate the satellite and ground segment. The Canadian Space Agency CSA helps fund the construction and launch of the satellite and will recover this investment through the supply of RADARSAT2 data to the Government of Canada GC during the lifetime of the mission.

Radarsat-2 Beam Modes:

Beam modesNominal swath width (km)Resolution (m)
Selective Single or Dual Polarization
Transmit H and/or V, receive H and/or V
Fine 50 8
Wide Fine 150 8
Standard 100 25
Wide 150 25
ScanSAR Narrow 300 50
ScanSAR Wide 500 100
Ocean Surveillance 530 Variable
Polarimetric
Transmit H and V on alternate pulses /
receive H and V on any pulse
Fine Quad-Pol 25 12
Wide Fine Quad-Pol 50 12
Standard Quad-Pol 25 25
Wide Standard Quad-Pol 50 25
Single Polarization HH
Transmit H, receive H
Extended High 75 25
Extended Low 170 60
Selective Single Polarization
Transmit H or V, receive H or V
Spotlight 18 1
Ultra-Fine 20 3
Wide Ultra-Fine 50 3
Extra-Fine 125 5
Multi-Look Fine 50 8
Wide Multi-Look Fine 90 8

RADARSAT-2 demonstrates the Canadian space community’s leadership in developing remote sensing technology and applications. With state-of-the-art technology, it is one of the world’s most advanced commercially available Earth observation radar image providers and offers users around the world an expanded range of high-quality data products for hundreds of applications.

For more information:http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/satellites/radarsat2/default.asp

General

RADARSAT-2
High Resolution 1 m X 3 m 
(stripmap mode)
Total mass at launch 2 200 kg
Mission life 7 years
SARantenna dimensions 15 m x 1,5 m
Solar arrays (each) 3,73 m x 1,8 m
Bus 3,7 m x 1,36 m
Look Direction

Routine left- and right-looking operation 
Increased re-visit time for improved monitoring efficiencies

Radar

RADARSAT-2
Active Antenna C-Band
Centre Frequency 5,405 GHz
Bandwidth 100 MHz
SAR antenna dimensions 15 m x 1,5 m
Polarization HH, VV, HV, VH
Polarization Isolation > 25 dB
Aperture Length 15 m
Aperture width 1.37 m
Mass 750 kg
Deployment Mechanism Extendable support structure (ESS)

Orbit

RADARSAT-2
Altitude 798 km
Inclination 98,6 degrees
Duration of one orbit 100.7 min
Descending node 6 hrs.
Ascending node 18 hrs.
Sun-synchronous 14 orbits per day