Radarsat-2 Mission: Overview And Development Status
The beam-spoiling approach is still available as a backup capability.
Figure 2, Dual Receive Mode Operation
5.2 GMTI Capability
RADARSAT-2 includes an experimental GMTI capability known as the Moving Object Detection Experiment (MODEX). Like Ultra-Fine mode, MODEX makes use of the Dual-Receive capability of the RADARSAT-2 antenna. This Dual-Receive capability provides two apertures aligned in the along-track direction, which is suitable for detecting moving objects. By processing the received echo data using along-track interferometric techniques and DPCA techniques, objects with non-zero radial velocities can be detected and their radial velocities can be estimated.
6 Ground Segment
To ensure the commercial success of the RADARSAT-2 mission, MacDonald Dettwiler is designing the Ground Segment in consultation with the key organizations and agencies that will be critical to the success of the mission.
Where possible, the existing RADARSAT-1 Ground Segment infrastructure will be re-used. For example the existing TT&C and Data reception facilities will be re-used. For many of the other Ground Segment functions new or upgraded components will be required.
The RADARSAT-2 Ground Segment will provide the following main enhancements to improve the operability and responsiveness to customer needs:
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Reduced mission planning time required for imaging requests. The RADARSAT-2 Ground Segment will be upgraded so that the time between approval of an order and time that the related commands are ready for uplink to the spacecraft is less than 48 hours for routine requests and 6 hours for emergency requests;
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Real-time feasibility checking. When customers' requests for imaging are placed at one of the order desks, the Acquisition and Reception Planning Subsystem will be able to detect conflicts immediately and provide feedback to the customers to assist them in finding feasible imaging times.
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Support for the commercial operations of RADARSAT-2. The ordering and acquisition planning system is being designed to support these operations. The experience gained with RADARSAT-1 operation is being used as a guide.
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Automated data reception and archiving chain. This will allow reductions in time required from image reception to distribution to the customer. After reception of the image data, the Ground Segment will be able to produce and distribute products of any type to the customer within three hours.
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Improved operability and maintainability through the use of MacDonald Dettwiler's standard multi-mission Earth Observation System components, wherever feasible. These same components can be used to build or upgrade network stations for almost every civilian Earth Observation mission.
An overview of the RADARSAT-2 Ground Segment Architecture is shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3, Ground Segment Architecture
7 Development
The companies involved in building the main components of the RADARSAT-2 System are listed below.
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Alenia Aerospazio, Italy is building the spacecraft bus.
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The SAR payload is being constructed by EMS, Montreal (formerly Spar Aerospace).
- The Extendible Support Structure (ESS) is being developed by MD Robotics of Brampton, Ontario.
- In addition to being the mission prime contractor, MDA is also the subcontractor for theGround Segment.
For updated information please refer to the RADARSAT-2 web site at
www.radarsat.mda.ca
8 References
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Apel John R., McCandless Jr. S. Walter, Reeves L. A., and Valenti E. L., July, 1999. "Application Vistas for RADARSAT-2: Oceans and Ice," IEEE 1999 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS), Hamburg, Germany.
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Luscombe, A., Oct. 1999. "Plans for Radiometric and Polarimetric Calibration of RADARSAT-2 Beams", CEOS SAR Workshop.
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Luscombe A., Chotoo K., and Huxtable B., July 2000. "Polarimetric Calibration for RADARSAT-2," Proceedings of IGARSS 2000.
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Thompson A. and Livingstone C., July 2000. "Moving Target Performance for RADARSAT-2," Proceedings of IGARSS 2000.
