| Operating Modes
| Orbit Characteristics
| Spacecraft Characteristics

RADARSAT SAR Characteristics

Frequency
  - 5.3 GHz

Polarization
  - HH

Aspect
  - Right-looking (North) SAR
  - Left-looking (Antarctica)

SAR On-Time
  - 28 minutes/orbit
  - (12 Minutes for Antarctica)

SAR Modes (Technical Details)
  - Standard
  - Wide-Swath
  - Fine Resolution
  - SCANSAR
  - Extended

Tape Recorder (Technical Details)
  - 2 high speed recorders
  - 10 minutes each

Downlink (Technical Details)
  - 2 Simultaneous X-Band Channels:
  - 105 Mbit/sec real-time
  - 85 Mbit/sec recorded

Canadian Processor
  - 1/10 real-time upgradable to 1/4 real-time speed
  - Many output products on variety of media in CEOS format
  - T1 link for image transfer to Ice Services, Environment Canada

RADARSAT Operating Modes A detailed table of the RADARSAT SAR operating modes is also available.

Standard Mode ( (More technical details in table format)
  - 7 Beams, >10% overlap
  - ~250km nadir offset
  - Swath Width: 100km
  - Range Resolution (1): 25m
  - Azimuth Resolution: 28m
  - Looks (2): 4
  - Incidence Angle Range (3): 20-49°

Wide Mode
  - 3 Beams, 10% overlap
  - ~250km nadir offset
  - Swath Width: 150km
  - Range Resolution (1): (W1) 35m, (W2) 27m, (W3) 23m
  - Azimuth Resolution: 28m
  - Looks (2): 4
  - Incidence Angle (3): 20-45°

Fine Resolution Mode
  - 5 Beams, 10% overlap
  - ~500km nadir offset
  - Swath Width: 50km
  - Range Resolution (1): 8-9m
  - Azimuth Resolution: 9m
  - Looks (2): 1
  - Incidence Angle (3): 35-49°

SCANSAR (Narrow) Mode
  - ~250km nadir offset
  - ~400km nadir offset
  - Swath Width: 300km
  - Range Resolution (1): 50m
  - Azimuth Resolution: 50m
  - Looks (2): 2-4
  - Incidence Angle (3): 20-40°, 32-46°

SCANSAR (Wide) Mode
  - ~250km nadir offset
  - Swath Width: 500km , 440km
  - Range Resolution (1): 100m
  - Azimuth Resolution: 100m
  - Looks (2): 4-8
  - Incidence Angle (3): 20-50°

Extended (High) Mode
  - 6 Beams, 3% overlap
  - ~500km nadir offset
  - Swath Width: 75km
  - Range Resolution (1): 25m
  - Azimuth Resolution: 28m
  - Looks (2): 4
  - Incidence Angle (3): 50-60°

Extended (Low) Mode
  - ~125km nadir offset
  - Swath Width: 75km
  - Range Resolution (1): 25m
  - Azimuth Resolution: 28m
  - Looks (2): 4
  - Incidence Angle (3): 10-20°

Notes on RADARSAT SAR Modes:
1. Nominal; ground range resolution varies with range.
2. Nominal; range and processor dependant.
3. Incidence angle depends on sub-mode.

| RADARSAT Orbit Characteristics

Geometry
  - Circular, sun-synchronous (dawn-dusk)
  - Ascending Node: 18:00 +/- 15 local time

Altitude
  - 798 km

Inclination
  - 98.6°

Period
  - 100.7 Minutes

Repeat Cycle
  - 24 days (14 7/24 orbits per day)
  - 7 day & 3 days sub-cycles

Coverage
  - Global: 4,5 days
  - North America: 3 days

| RADARSAT Spacecraft Characteristics

Mass
  - 3200 Kg

Solar Array Power
  - 3400 Watts (BOL)
  - 2900 Watts (EOL)

Battery
  - 3 NiCd (48 ampere-hr)

Attitude Control
  - 3 Axis Stabilized
  - Sensors
  - Momentum Wheels
  - Yaw Manoeuver

TT&C Link
  - S-Band

Command
  - 24 Hours autonomous operation

Fuel
  - 67 Kg Hydrazine (orbit adjustment and restitution)

RADARSAT Overview
RADARSAT Technical Specifications - Details