NewSpace SAR: Disruptive Concepts for Cost-Effective SAR System Design

Abstract:
Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is a key remote sensing technique for Earth observation. Future high-resolution wideswath SAR missions will deliver weekly images of our planet, thereby allowing quantification of several essential climate variables. While this is a huge step forward compared to current systems, some applications require even more frequent temporal sampling or simultaneous acquisitions from slightly different observation angles. NewSpace SAR denotes all groundbreaking solutions that enable frequent and enhanced SAR imaging at affordable costs. Besides the technological developments, e.g., mass-produced platforms for constellations of SAR satellites, application-driven SAR system design approaches play a fundamental role. In particular, disruptive concepts based on waveform or phase encoding, and/or distributed and fractionated SAR allow relaxing the design constraints, reducing complexity, size, and cost of the SAR instrument. These solutions will help spreading the on-going NewSpace revolution to SAR remote sensing and posing the basis for future Earth observation missions that will yield remarkable societal benefits.