BackBack to listForwardRadar altimetry 

Details on this mission type
Full name Radar altimetry
Definition This type of mission designates essentially nadir-pointing radars that measure the distance between the satellite and the reflecting sea surface. It can also be used on land and ice. It is possible to implement SAR capability to more accurately detect ice border and topography. To be associated with co-aligned passive MW radiometers for water vapour correction, and with precise orbit determination.
Relevant instruments and their contribution

The sorting column describes how the instruments, by design, have the potential to contribute to certain pre-determined capabilities, assuming nominal operation of space and ground segments. For this particular capability, instrument performance is considered to be driven by:

  • the main band used for the radar: C-band and/or Ka-band, the Ka-band being more accurate but more sensitive to precipitation.  X-band also is used;
  • the auxiliary band to correct for signal rotation induced by the ionosphere;
  • the supporting nadir-pointing MW radiometer to correct for the path delay induced by water vapour;
  • the along-track SAR capability;
  • the capability to observe a somewhat large swath.

 Sorting criteria and colour code:

  1. Ku-band radar altimeter with only-nadir viewing, with supporting S- or C-band frequency, flown in a relatively high and stable orbit; OR associated with along-track SAR capability.
  2. Ku-band radar altimeter with only-nadir viewing, with supporting S- or C-band frequency.
  3. Large-swath radar altimeter operating in Ku-band OR Ka-band OR X- band.
  4. Ku-band radar altimeter with only-nadir viewing, flown in a relatively high and stable orbit OR associated with along-track SAR capability.
  5. Ku-band OR Ka-band radar altimeter with only-nadir viewing.