Satellite with spot light mode for extended duration target imaging

A ground station for receiving synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data from a satellite in orbit around Earth and processing the data to form one or more images of a target on Earth, wherein:

• the satellite comprises a propulsion system, an attitude determination and control system (ADCS), one or more radar antennas or antenna arrays synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image acquisition apparatus, and a communication system configured to send and receive signals to and from one or more ground stations on Earth;
• the ADCS is configured for mechanically steering the satellite in the azimuth direction to prolong a dwell time, during which a selected target is visible from the satellite, by maintaining the target within the radar aperture as the satellite orbits over the target;
• and
• the ground station comprises at least one processor configured to receive raw SAR data from the satellite, the raw data comprising pulse recordings resulting from the reflection of radio energy pulses transmitted from the satellite, from a target on Earth, wherein the radio energy pulses correspond to a range of angles in the azimuth direction achieved by steering the satellite in the azimuth direction to prolong a dwell time over the target.

A method of processing raw SAR data comprising pulse recordings resulting from the reflection of radio energy pulses transmitted from a satellite, from a target on Earth, wherein:

• the method comprises:
• forming successive looks at the target using data from a series of pulses;
• the satellite comprises (a) a propulsion system, (b) an attitude determination and control system (ADCS), (c) one or more radar antennas or antenna arrays, (d) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image acquisition apparatus, and (e) a communication system configured to send and receive signals to and from one or more ground stations on Earth;
• the ADCS is configured for mechanically steering the satellite in the azimuth direction to prolong a dwell time, during which a selected target is visible from the satellite, by maintaining the target within the radar aperture as the satellite orbits over the target;
• and
• the radio energy pulses correspond to a range of angles in the azimuth direction achieved by steering the satellite in the azimuth direction to prolong a dwell time over the target.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising processor executable instructions which, when executed by a processor in a satellite image processing system, cause the system to process raw synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data comprising pulse recordings resulting from the reflection of radio energy pulses transmitted from a satellite, from a target on Earth, wherein:

• the satellite comprises (a) a propulsion system, (b) an attitude determination and control system (ADCS), (c) one or more radar antennas or antenna arrays, (d) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image acquisition apparatus, and (e) a communication system configured to send and receive signals to and from one or more ground stations on Earth;
• the ADCS is configured for mechanically steering the satellite in the azimuth direction to prolong a dwell time, during which a selected target is visible from the satellite, by maintaining the target within the radar aperture as the satellite orbits over the target;
• the processing of the raw synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data being performed by forming successive looks at the target using data from a series of pulses;
• and
• the radio energy pulses correspond to a range of angles in the azimuth direction achieved by steering the satellite in the azimuth direction to prolong a dwell time over the target.