Synthetic Aperture Radar on RADARSAT-1

2015-06-25 - RADARSAT-1 used a sophisticated microwave radar system known as synthetic aperture radar or SAR, to produce pictures of extraordinary clarity, even through heavy cloud cover, smog, haze, smoke, and at night. Orbiting 800 kilometres above the Earth, the satellite could be programmed to capture images as wide as 500 kilometres, and it could detect objects measuring only 8 metres. (Credit: Canadian Space Agency)

The graphic gives a visual representation of the coverage area of each RADARSAT-1 imaging mode along the satellite ground track. The beam modes are shown in the following order from left to right: Fine; Standard; Wide; ScanSAR; Extended Low; Extended High.