Microwave Remote Sensing: Needs and Requirements Concerning Technology

Abstract

Spaceborne microwave remote sensing instruments, like the imaging radiometer and the synthetic aperture radar, are over time faced with two partly conflicting requirements: performance expectations (resolution, sensitivity, coverage, a.o.) steadily increase while resource allocations (weight, power, bulk, cost) decrease. This results in needs and requirements to the development of advanced technology thus enabling future advanced systems to be viable and realistic.