Passive SAR Satellite System (PASSAT): First airborne trials

Abstract

This paper presents progress made on the development and execution of an airborne experimental campaign, conducted as part of the ongoing investigation into the passive SAR satellite (PASSAT) concept. The proposed system uses terrestrial digital television broadcasting stations as illuminators of opportunity while the receivers are based on low-cost, nano-satellite platforms on low earth orbit. A hardware demonstrator was developed and mounted on an airborne platform and was used to image a rural area. The first airborne SAR image results are presented, as well as a point spread function analysis which validates the demonstrator and the image formation algorithms used