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Astrium Continues Development of Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar
Munich - Nov 27, 2003 EADS Astrium has successfully developed an Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), called the MicroSAR Airborne Demonstrator, which can be applied to both spaceborne and airborne SAR systems, including the spaceborne MicroSAR system and the airborne QuaSAR system. This technology is a major breakthrough in low cost SAR systems. Funded by BNSC, the MicroSAR Airborne Demonstrator has completed a series of successful trials mounted on a DSTL Britten-Norman Islander aircraft. Operating between 3000 and 7000ft over Portsmouth and the surrounding area, the trials generated high quality X-band imagery through cloud. The Airborne Demonstrator instrument, which is only 75cm high and weighs only 49kg, is able to provide image resolution down to 1m, both day and night, and in all weather conditions. Dr Mike Healy, Director of Earth Observation, Navigation, and Science UK said, "We are delighted with the success of the MicroSAR Airborne Demonstrator project, which has been achieved despite demanding technical and cost requirements. The entire demonstrator programme including design, procurement, manufacture, build, test, integration, verification, and flight trials were completed inside the original 18 month schedule. We are pleased to announce that BNSC has extended its financial support to aid the further development and exploitation of the system." At the heart of the instrument is the generic CORE Radar Central Electronics developed by EADS Astrium. This can be adapted to a wide range of Radar frequencies and is suitable for both space and airborne platforms, including UAVs. A C-band system is currently being built by EADS Astrium for the Canadian SAR satellite, Radarsat 2. In addition to the central electronics, the airborne demonstrator includes an innovative, very low cost, active phased array antenna and an inertial measurement unit to measure and record the aircraft motion. Thus allowing motion compensation in the image processing. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Astrium Space SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express Military Space News at SpaceWar.com
Space Group To Activate New Unit
Colorado Springs CO (SPX) Jan 6, 2006Air Force Reserve Command's 310th Space Group will travel deeper into the space program when it activates a new unit Jan. 7. Headquarters Reserve National Security Space Institute will be a Reserve associate unit to the National Security Space Institute in Colorado Springs, Colo. The institute is the Department of Defense's focal point for providing education about space power in joint warfighting. |
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