Delivering precision calibration for active microwave instruments.
Calibration is essential for validating and maintaining the quality of spaceborne radar remote sensing products. Calibration transponders provide stable absolute radar cross sections, allowing the operator to adjust the instrument characteristics and the ground processing parameters to optimise the resulting data products.
SEA has more than 15 years of operational and development experience in radar calibration transponders, which have been used with ERS, Envisat and Radarsat. Three operational transponders for the Advanced Scatterometer instrument for EUMETSAT’s METOP satellite have been delivered.
CALtran can be implemented in a range of frequency bands: C, L or Ku. Similar principles can be applied to the manufacture of echo simulators for use in ground testing of active microwave instruments.
Applications
- calibration of spaceborne radar remote sensing products
- ensures consistent data quality
- planetary robotic systems
- complex and/or multiple payloads