Table 11.5
Select historical, present and future satellite-borne synthetic aperture radar systems with specifications. Resolution and swath width given for
multiple modes of SAR operation
Program
Institution/Country
Date range
Satellite (planned)
Band Wavelength (cm) Average ground
resolution (m)
Swath width (km)
Seasat, NASA
1978
SAR
L
23.5
25
100
Shuttle imaging
radar, NASA
1981
SIR-A
L
23.5
40
50
1984
SIR-B
L
23.5
20–50
25–58
1994 (2)
SIR-C/X-SAR
L
23.5
10–200
15–90
C
5.8
X
3.1
25
15–40
2000
SRTM
C
5.6
30
225
X
3.1
25
45
ALMAZ, Russia
1987
Cosmos 1870
S
10.0
15
40
1991–1992
ALMAZ
ERS, ESA
1991–2000
ERS-1
C
5.6
25
100
1995–2011
ERS-2
30/150/1000
100/400/400
2002–2012
ENVISAT
2013–2015
(Sentinel-1A)
5/20/40
60/250/400
(Sentinel-1B)
JERS, Japan
1992–1998
JERS-1
L
23.5
18
75
2006–2011
ALOS
10/20/30/100
70/70/30/250-350
2013
[ALOS-2]
3/6/10/100
50/50/70/350
(continued)
306
S. F. Heron et al.
Select historical, present and future satellite-borne synthetic aperture radar systems with specifications. Resolution and swath width given for
multiple modes of SAR operation
Program
Institution/Country
Date range
Satellite (planned)
Band Wavelength (cm) Average ground
resolution (m)
Swath width (km)
Seasat, NASA
1978
SAR
L
23.5
25
100
Shuttle imaging
radar, NASA
1981
SIR-A
L
23.5
40
50
1984
SIR-B
L
23.5
20–50
25–58
1994 (2)
SIR-C/X-SAR
L
23.5
10–200
15–90
C
5.8
X
3.1
25
15–40
2000
SRTM
C
5.6
30
225
X
3.1
25
45
ALMAZ, Russia
1987
Cosmos 1870
S
10.0
15
40
1991–1992
ALMAZ
ERS, ESA
1991–2000
ERS-1
C
5.6
25
100
1995–2011
ERS-2
30/150/1000
100/400/400
2002–2012
ENVISAT
2013–2015
(Sentinel-1A)
5/20/40
60/250/400
(Sentinel-1B)
JERS, Japan
1992–1998
JERS-1
L
23.5
18
75
2006–2011
ALOS
10/20/30/100
70/70/30/250-350
2013
[ALOS-2]
3/6/10/100
50/50/70/350
(continued)
306
S. F. Heron et al.