ABSTRACT

This paper presents an overview of the information available to date as well as future perspectives for the RADARSAT-1 and RADARSAT-2 (herein referred to as RADARSAT- 1/2) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites. Here, essential information has been gathered from various sources in the literature to provide a concise description of the imaging modes and benefits of RADARSAT-1/2, data calibration and quality, the data distribution process, the main application domains, etc. The evolution of the RADARSAT-1/2 missions is presented together with future plans. These missions have led to numerous research opportunities and a growing number of applications in the environmental sciences and natural resource management, which are necessary to support both the continuity of RADARSAT data and the improvement of spaceborne SAR technical characteristics.