The RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) is Canada′s new generation of Earth observation satellites. Launched on June 12, 2019, the three identical satellites work together to bring solutions to key challenges for Canadians.
The evolution of the RADARSAT Program, the RCM includes a trio of Earth observation satellites, capable of scanning Earth day or night and in any weather conditions. The three-satellite configuration allows for daily revisits of Canada′s vast territory and maritime approaches, as well as daily access to 90% of the world′s surface and the Arctic up to four times a day.
The primary areas of interest are the landmass of Canada and its surrounding Arctic, Pacific and Atlantic maritime areas (Canada has a coastline of 243,772 km in length, the longest of any country in the world). The images and derived information are required to be provided to Canadian government users at frequent area coverage rates.
The RCM is designed to provide effective solutions in three main areas:
- Maritime surveillance (ice, surface wind, oil pollution and ship monitoring);
- Disaster management (mitigation, warning, response and recovery); and
- Ecosystem monitoring (agriculture, wetlands, forestry and coastal change monitoring).
The constellation model allows for a more frequent revisit of the same area. This opens the door to a range of applications that are based on regular collection of data and creation of composite images that highlight changes in the same area over time. Such applications are particularly useful for monitoring climate change, land use evolution, coastal change, urban subsidence and even human impacts on local environments.
| Beam Modes | Nominal swath width (km) | Resolution (m) |
|---|---|---|
| Low Resolution 100 m | 500 | 100 × 100 |
| Medium Resolution 50 m | 350 | 50 × 50 |
| Medium Resolution 30 m | 125 | 30 × 30 |
| Medium Resolution 16 m | 30 | 16 × 16 |
| High Resolution 5 m | 30 | 5 × 5 |
| Very High Resolution 3 m | 20 | 3 × 3 @ 35° |
| Low Noise | 350 | 100 × 100 |
For more information:https://asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/satellites/radarsat/default.asp
RADARSAT-RCM TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
|
Parameter / Mission |
RCM (RADARSAT Constellation Mission) |
|
Launch date |
12 June 2019 (RCM) |
|
Total launch mass |
~1,400 kg (4,200 kg total mass of 3 S/C) |
|
Mission design life |
7 years (each S/C) |
|
Complete coverage |
Daily coverage |
|
SAR antenna dimensions |
6.75 m x 1.38 m |
|
Solar arrays (each) |
2.2 m x 1.7 m main power |
|
Spacecraft bus |
Canadian SmallSat Bus |
|
Look direction |
Right looking |
|
Polarization |
Single, Dual, Compact Pol, Polarimetric |
|
Altitude |
600 km |
