SAR Data Access and Availability¶
| Sensor | Lifetime | Wavelength/Frequency | Polarization | Resolution | Frame Size | Repeat Cycle | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEASAT | 1978 | L-Band λ = 24.6 cm | HH | Az: 25m Rg: 25m |
100 km | NA | Free & Open |
| ERS-1 | 1991-2001 | C-band λ = 05.6cm | VV | Az: 6-30m Rg: 26m |
100km | 35 days | Restrained |
| JERS-1 | 1995-1998 | L-band λ = 24.6cm | HH | Az: 18m Rg: 18m |
75km | 44 days | Restrained |
| ERS-2 | 1995-2011 | C-band λ = 05.6cm | VV | Az: 6-30m Rg: 26m |
100km | 35 days | Restrained |
| ENVISAT | 2002-2012 | C-band λ = 05.6cm | HH, VV, VV/HH, HH/HV, VV/VH | Az: 28m Rg: 28m |
100km | 35 days | Restrained |
| ALOS-1 | 2006-2011 | L-band λ = 24.6cm | FBS: HH,VV FBD:HH/HV,HH/VH PLR:HH/HV/VH/VV ScanSAR:HH,VV |
FBS: 10x10m FBD:20x10m PLR: 30x10m ScanSAR: 100m | FBS: 70km FBD: 70km PLR: 30km ScanSAR: 250-350km |
46 days | Free & open |
| Radarsat-1 | 1995-2013 | C-band λ = 05.6cm | HH | Standard: 25x28m Fine: 9x9m Wide1: 35x28m Wide2: 35x28m ScanSAR: 50x50-100x100m |
Standard: 100km Fine: 45km Wide1: 165km Wide2:150km ScarSAR: 305-510km |
24 days | 1995-2008: Restrained 2008-2013: Commercial |
| TerraSAR-X TanDEM-X | 2007- 2010- | X-band λ = 03.5cm | Single: HH, VV Dual: HH/VV, HH/HV, VV/VH Twin: HH/VV, HH/VH,VV/VH | Spotlight: 0.2x1.0-1.7x3.5m Stripmap: 3x3m ScanSAR: 18-40m | Spotlight: 3-10km Stripmap: 50x30km ScanSAR: 150x100-200x200km | 11 days | Applicationdependent; restrained scientific, commercial |
| Radarsat-2 | 2007- | C-band λ = 05.6cm | Single: HH,VV,HV,VH Dual: HH/HV,VV/VH Quad: HH/HV/VH/VV |
Spotlight: ~1.5m Stripmap: ~3x3-25x25m ScanSAR: 35x35-100x100m |
Spotlight: 18x8km Stripmap: 20-170m ScanSAR: 300x300-500x500km |
24 days | Commercial |
| COSMOSkyMed | 2007- | X-band λ = 03.5cm | Single: HH,VV,HV,VH Dual: HH/HV,HH/VV,VV/VH |
Spotlight: ≤1m Stripmap: 3-15m ScanSAR: 30-100m |
Spotlight: 10x10km Stripmap: 40x40km ScanSAR: 100x100-200x200km |
Satellite: 16 days Constellation: ~hrs | Commercial; limited proposal based scientific |
| ALOS-2 PALSAR-2 |
2014- | L-band λ = 24.6cm | Single: HH,VV,HV,VH Dual: HH/HV,VV/VH Quad: HH/HV/VH/VV |
Spotlight: 1x3m Stripmap: 3-10m ScanSAR: 25-100m |
Spotlight: 25x25km Stripmap: 55x70-70x70km ScanSAR: 355x355km |
14 days | Commercial; limited proposalbased scientific |
| Sentinel-1 | 2014- | C-band λ = 05.6cm | Single: HH,VV Dual: HH/HV,VV/VH |
Stripmap: 5x5m Interferometric Wide Swath (IW): 5x20m Extra Wide Swath (EW): 20-40m |
Stripmap: 375km IW: 250km EW: 400km |
Satellite: 12 days Constellation: 6 days | Free & open |
| SAOCOM | 2018- | L-band λ = 24.6cm | Single: HH,VV Dual: HH/HV,VV/VH Quad: HH/HV/VH/VV |
Stripmap: 10x10m TopSAR: 100x100m |
Stripmap: >65km TopSAR: 320km |
Satellite: 16 days Constellation:8 days |
TBD |
| PAZ SAR | 2018- | X-band λ = 03.5cm | See TerraSAR/TanDEM-x | See TerraSAR/TanDEM-x | See TerraSAR/TanDEM-x | 11 days | Commercial |
| RCM | 2019 | C-band λ = 05.6cm | Single: HH,VV,VH,HV Dual: HH/HV,VV/VH,HH/VV Compact Quad |
Very high, high, medium, and low-res modes (3-100m) |
20x20-500x500km | Satellite: 12 days Constellation: ~hrs |
TBD |
| NISAR | 2021 | L-band λ = 24.6cm | Single: HH,VV,VH,HV Dual: HH/HV,VV/VH,HH/VV Quad |
3-20m (mode dependent) |
250km | 12 days | Free & open |
| BIOMASS | 2021 | P-band λ = 70cm | Quad | ≤60x50m | 160km | 17 days | Free & open |
| TanDEM-L | 2023 | L-band λ = 24.6cm | Single, dual, quad modes | 12x12m | 350km | Satellite: 16 days Constellation: 8 days |
Free & open |