Initial NovaSAR-1 Data Processing and Imagery Evaluation

• Published in: IGARSS 2020 - 2020 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium pp. 6154 - 6157
• Main Authors: Zhou, Zheng-Shu, Parker, Amy, Brindle, Laura, Rosenqvist, Ake, Caccetta, Peter, Held, Alex
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 26-09-2020
• Subjects: Australia; Backscatter; NovaSAR-1; radar backscatter; Radar imaging; S-band; SAR; Satellites; sensor performance; Spaceborne radar; Synthetic aperture radar; Task analysis
• ISSN: 2153-7003
• DOI: 10.1109/IGARSS39084.2020.9323291

NovaSAR-1 is a low-cost spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology demonstrator developed by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, UK (SSTL), and Airbus Defence and Space Ltd, with funds of the UK Government [1]. After the successful launch of NovaSAR-1 satellite in September 2018 and completion of the commission phase in August 2019, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) are able to task, capture and access the unique S-band NovaSAR-1 imagery under the partnership of Australia's 10% capacity share in this new satellite mission [2], [3]. In the paper, we introduce the NovaSAR-1 data processing, and present initial results of NovaSAR-1 data performance evaluation and the recent emergency observations of extensive Australian bushfires.