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| RADARSAT-1: Still Scanning After All These Years |
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Canada’s Eye in the Sky logs two billion kilometres
For over ten years now, RADARSAT-1 satellite imagery has demonstrated to the world how useful Earth observation data is.
The Canadian Space Agency recently celebrated the launch anniversary of this steadfast satellite, which has served the research community so well, providing reliable data night and day, through cloud cover, smoke, and haze. Data is used for studies relating to ice, agriculture, land use, water resources, forestry, and oceans, and the satellite also surveys our coastlines, and gathers much-needed data during emergencies.
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Launched in November 1995, RADARSAT-1 has exceeded all expectations, thanks to a dedicated support team. |
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Beyond expectations
The 2,750-kg spacecraft, launched November 4, 1995, into a polar orbit 798 kilometres above the Earth , has logged over 51,000 revolutions—that’s 2.3 billion km.
“It was planned to last five years, but through the dedication and ingenuity of Agency staff, RADARSAT-1 is performing better now than when it was first commissioned,” says Rolf Mamen, Director General of Space Operations at the Canadian Space Agency. “The fuel, power and thermal parameters are all fine, partly because of expertise gained by the operators who now know more about the spacecraft and its payload than the people who built them.”
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Mapping polar ice caps
RADARSAT-1 was built mainly to monitor ice movement in Canada’s Arctic. It provides 3,800 images per year to the Canadian Ice Service, the largest of some 600 clients worldwide. Monitoring Arctic ice and the Antarctic on seasonal basis allows scientists to perform better trend analysis to assess climate change.
Canada’s first Earth observation satellite has many achievements to its credit. For example, in 1997, it became the first civilian satellite to map all of Antarctica, including the South Pole. To achieve this historic feat, ground controllers had to perform a risky manoeuver. “We used the reaction wheels of its attitude control system to rotate the satellite, so its radar could look to the left instead of to the right, as it normally does,” explains Surendra Parashar, the Agency’s Director of Satellite Operations.
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Antarctica Mosaic |
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Benefits felt around the world
RADARSAT-1 has a role in supporting the global issue of sustainable development. It can monitor tropical rainforests through rain and clouds, and observe clear-cutting and forestry activities. It supports agriculture by monitoring soil moisture. For regions struck by hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, forest fires, or oil spills, it provides data to assist disaster management efforts under the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters.
Hydrologists can map and better manage precious water resources. Farmers use its data in deciding on the best time and precise areas to fertilize and water their fields. This saves money and helps to protect the environment.
Vast quantities of data
Over 200,000 requests for imagery were sent from the order desk to the satellite between January 1996 and October 2005. In Canada, data are received at ground stations operated by the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing. These are located in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and Gatineau, Quebec. Data can be available to users within four hours of acquisition—half an hour for the Canadian Ice Service.
MDA Geospatial Services (formerly RADARSAT International) markets and distributes RADARSAT-1 data. MDA also manages the Canadian Data Processing Facility in Gatineau, Quebec.
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