NSSDCA/COSPAR ID: 2007-061A
Radarsat 2 is a Canadian synthetic aperture radar craft that was launched by a Soyuz rocket from Baikonur at 13:17 UT on 14 December 2007. It is a superior version of the Radarsat 1, and yields a spatial resolution of three meters. The 2.2 tonne craft carries transmitters and receivers operating at 5.405 GHz, with a rectangular antenna of 15 m x 1.7 m. For locating its own position, it carries a GPS receiver, as well as a star tracker. It will receive echoes polarized horizontally and vertically, in separate channels. It has an on-board electronic data storage capability, as well a number of ground-based receivers for direct data reception. It is expected to play a major role in sea ice monitoring and in tracking vessels (legal and trespassing) in the Arctic Ocean. Additional details are available at:
Launch Date: 2007-12-14
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-Fregat
Launch Site: Tyuratam (Baikonur Cosmodrome), Kazakhstan
Questions and comments about this spacecraft can be directed to: Coordinated Request and User Support Office