TerraSAR-X active radar ground calibrator system

Author

Lenz, Rainer ; Schuler, Karin ; Younis, Marwan ; Wiesbeck, Werner

Author_Institution

Karlsruhe Univ., Germany

Volume

21

Issue

5

fYear

2006

fDate

5/1/2006 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

30

Lastpage

33

Abstract

In April 2006, the TerraSAR-X satellite was launched. This paper describes the development of a novel and highly integrated, digitally-controlled active SAR system calibrator (DARC). It consists of both an active transponder path for absolute radiometric calibration and a calibrated receiver chain for antenna pattern evaluation of the satellite antenna. A total of 16 active transponder and receiver systems and 17 receiver-only systems will be fabricated for a calibration campaign in 2006.

Keywords

antenna radiation patterns; calibration; radar antennas; satellite antennas; synthetic aperture radar; transponders; DARC; TerraSAR-X satellite; active radar ground calibrator; active transponder path; antenna pattern evaluation; calibrated receiver chain; digitally-controlled active SAR system calibrator; radiometric calibration; receiver-only systems; satellite antenna; Automatic control; Azimuth; Calibration; Digital control; Radar; Radio frequency; Satellite antennas; Signal analysis; Transmitting antennas; Transponders;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0885-8985

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/MAES.2006.1635172

Filename

1635172