SENTINEL-1 CSAR Mission Status

摘要

The Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) constellation represents a completely new approach to SAR mission design by ESA in direct response to the operational needs for SAR data expressed under the EU-ESA Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) programme. The Sentinel-1 constellation is expected to provide near daily coverage over Europe and Canada, and weekly global coverage all independent of weather with delivery of radar data within 1 hour of acquisition - all vast improvements with respect to the existing SAR systems. In addition to responding directly to current needs of the GMES program, the design of the Sentinel-1 satellite mission with its focus on stability, reliability, global coverage, consistent operations and quick data delivery is expected to enable the development of new applications and meet the evolving needs of GMES, for instance in the area of climate change and associated monitoring needs. It is expected that Sentinel-1A will be launched in 2012.