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, the ground station comprising 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, the method comprising:

• forming successive looks at the target using date from a series of pulses,
• 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 non-transient computer readable medium comprising processor executable instructions which, when executed by the 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 by:

• forming successive looks at the target using date from a series of pulses,
• 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.