Abstract:
In the frame of the COPERNICUS program, the main objective of the Sentinel-1 mission is to ensure the continuity of C-band SAR data for global earth monitoring. Sentinel-...Show MoreMetadata
Abstract:
In the frame of the COPERNICUS program, the main objective of the Sentinel-1 mission is to ensure the continuity of C-band SAR data for global earth monitoring. Sentinel-1A is the first of two C-band satellites launched in April 2014. In addition to the commissioning of Sentinel-1A executed by the European Space Agency (ESA), an independent verification of the system calibration has been performed by DLR under an ESA contract. For this purpose, the complete calibration chain was developed and established, starting with a calibration concept, a detailed in-orbit calibration plan and the software tools for analyzing and evaluating all the measurements up to the calibration targets serving as accurate reference. Based on an efficient calibration strategy, this paper describes the different activities performed by DLR and presents the results obtained during the commissioning phase (CP) of Sentinel-1A.
Published in: IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing ( Volume: 9, Issue: 3, March 2016)