A fully polarimetric L-band spaceborne SAR instrument targeting land applications

An L-band SAR mission is a proposed to meet the requirements of the European Space Agency (ESA) Earth Observation Preparatory Programme (EOPP). The L band SAR instrument (L-SAR) has been studied as part of a pre-phase A contract for ESA (LandSAR). The L-SAR is also one component of the L+X-band TerraSAR system. TerraSAR has been proposed for the overall Earth Watch programme and is also the major asset for data provision to InfoTerra, an initiative being lead by Matra Marconi Space UK (MMS-UK) and Dornier Satellitensysteme (DSS). This paper describes a fully polarimetric spaceborne L-band SAR instrument currently under development. The instrument architectural definition is summarised, including a synopsis of the major design trade-offs, leading to the selection of an instrument baseline, for which the preliminary design is presented. The satellite-level accommodation aspects of the L-SAR payload are also presented. Both 'conventional' and 'longitudinal diametric' configurations have been examined, and the paper identifies the merits of a solution based on the MMS 'Snapdragon' instrument carrier. The performance and products to be provided are also specified. The basic image products are listed, showing the potential to generate higher level information products and the provide services to a wide range of user communities.