Sentinel-1 Products Definition & Instrument Processing Facility Development
Customer: ESA
Start date: 2008
End date: 2012
Contact: Davide D'Aria
MDA(MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd) is the prime contractor for thedefinition and implementation of the Sentinel-1 Instrument Processing Facility (Level-1 and Level-2 products). Aresys, already in charge of the development of a Sentinel-1 Prototype Processor within the framework of the Sentinel-1 space segments activities, has been involved as a sub-contractor and will provide support and expertise in the field of SAR data processing algorithms definition, SAR product definition and software V&V activities.One of the most demanding task within this project is the definition of a brand new processing chain for the innovative acquisition mode called TOPSAR that will be implemented as an operational mode, for the first time on a spaceborne SAR mission, on Sentinel-1 satellite.
Support to GMES Sentinel-1 Space Segment Activities
Customer: ESA
Start date: 2007
End date: 2010
Contact: Davide D'Aria
The Sentinel-1 series of satellites will address the issue of data continuity for SAR data at large. The immediate priority is to ensure such continuity for C-band data. The first Sentinel-1 satellite should be launched before the end of ENVISAT mission (2008/2010).Aresys has been involved in the project since the early Phase B2.It is in charge of the definition of Sentinel-1 processing algorithms and of the performance assessments of the advanced acquisition modes,that shall be implemented on the system.
Support to SAOCOM processing suite definition and validation
Customer: CONAE
Start date: November 2006
End date: November 2008
Contact: Davide D'Aria
SAOCOM satellite series are Argentina's first Remote Sensing mission carrying a L-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) as main payload. SAOCOM-1 mission is composed of two satellites (1A and 1B) to be launched consecutively. SAOCOM-1A is the fourth mission within Argentina's National Space Plan. Design drivers for mission definition and payload selection, consider compatibility and complementation with other existing SAR satellites with regard to image downlink and proper radar band & performances selection. Presently, it is planned to make SAOCOM-1A a part of the joint Italo-Argentine SIASGE constellation (Sistema Italo-Argentino de Satélites para Gestión de Emergencias). This constellation will also feature the COSMO-SkyMed satellites. Aresys and Politecnico di Milano are involved in the SAOCOM Project as expert support laboratories, providing support on system design and configuration, and data processing themes.
Sarscape® plug-ins development for multi-sensor level-0 data processing and ScanSAR focusing and interferometry
Partner: SARMAP
Start date: 2005
End date: Currently ongoing
Contact: Marco Arrigoni
This activity, started in early 2005, aims to integrate the following Aresys processing modules into Sarscape® software:
Focusing Module
The Focusing module - developed by Aresys - extends focusing capabilities to RADARSAT-1 (Fine Beam, Standard Beam), ENVISAT ASAR (Alternating Polarization, Image, and Wide Swath), and ALOS PALSAR (Fine Beam, ScanSAR, Polarimetric) data. In all cases an optimized phase preserving w-k processor is adopted.
ScanSAR Interferometry (InSAR & DInSAR)
The ScanSAR Interferometry module - developed by Aresys and based on an original algorithm of Politecnico di Bari (POLIBA) - extends the Interferometry module to the ScanSAR mode, offering the capability to generate interferograms over large areas (400 x 400 km). This module, combined with the Interferometry one, enables also the generation of Digital Elevation Model, Coherence, and Land Displacement maps.
Further information are available at the SARMAP's site.
CRYOSAT-2 IPF1 specialised processors maintenance
Customer: ESA
Start date: 2004
End date: Currently ongoing
Contact: Davide D'Aria
Cryosat-2 is a radar altimetry mission dedicated to the observation of the polar regions, that is going to replace the unlucky first CRYOSAT mission. Its aim is to study possible climate variability and trends by determining the variations in thickness of the Earth's continental ice sheets and marine sea ice cover. ARESYS is currently involved in an ESA project for the maintenance of the official CRYOSAT data processing software(ESL IPF1 Cryosat instrument processing facility).
Design, implementation and maintenance of a multi-platform level-0 processor for T.R.E.
Customer: Telerilevamento Europa (T.R.E.)
Start date: 2003
End date: Currently ongoing
Contact: Davide D'Aria
At the end of 2003, Aresys became the official Telerilevamento Europa’s provider of SAR level-0 products processing modules. The project aims to develop, maintain and update the Telerilevamento Europa’s level-0 processing kernels. At the beginning of the activity, the supported modes were: ERS-1, ERS-2, ENVISAT, RADARSAT-1. The extension of the processing capabilities to the ALOS-PALSAR case is currently under testing.
ENVISAT-ASAR Quality Working Group - QWG Support
Customer: ESA
Start date: 2003
End date: Currently ongoing
Contact: Davide D'Aria
A fruitful cooperation with ESA started in 2002 when Andrea Monti Guarnieri, and one year later ARESYS, became members of ESA ENVISAT-ASAR Quality Working Group. The activities of the group are the monitoring and assistance of the ENVISAT's ASAR sensor and the maintenance and the quality control of ASAR-derived products. ARESYS, within the same contract, carried out also an extensive testing and validation of the official ESA's Wide Swath SAR processor in PF-ASAR.