Multiple radar altimeters on a constellation of individual satellites in the same orbit plane relate an advanced ocean altimetry system. Earth rotation separates the respective measurement tracks of each satellite on the ocean surface. Each satellite can host a monostatic radar altimeter, which may contain a co-located transmitter and receiver that generates one surface track of ocean height measurements at nadir. Further, each satellite payload can include a bistatic radar altimeter, comprising a transmitter and a receiver located respectively on neighboring satellites. The bistatic altimeter comprises a virtual nadir altimeter that generates an additional surface track of ocean height measurements along the locus of midpoints on the surface between the satellites' nadir points. Delay-Doppler techniques can be used on the bistatic altimeter as well as the monostatic altimeters to reduce each instrument's power and mass requirements, increase measurement precision, sharpen along-track resolution, and reduce the minimum stand-off distance from land.
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