Airborne Testing of Multi-channel Modes of the Perspective Spaceborne SAR

Currently, the Research Institute of Precision Instruments is also developing space borne SAR radar with phase array antenna. In that case it is necessary to solve a set of interrelated technical problems, including a refinement of the hardware SAR segment and processing the radar data. To help this, an experimental airborne SAR radar system was created and tested in the end of 2012. The system includes two sub-sections of transmitting and receiving (TR) modules, which allows to perform an experimental testing of multi-channel SAR modes of developing spaceborne system. Test flights have been carried out and data acquisitions in full polarization and as moving target indication modes were performed. The description of hardware part of the complex is presented, as well as examples of the processing of the radar data in multi-channel (polarimetric and MTI) modes.