SAR Satellite Orbital Desing and Power Consideration

Microwave remote sensing in space is getting more popular thanks to the reduction of the size of satellites. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites are active systems and have the advantage of operating capability during the eclipse. Penetration capability of the wavelength which can pass through the atmospheric region of the electromagnetic spectrum, to which visible can not, and global coverage of the spaceborne system are the other main advantages of remote sensing. Therefore, orbit planning and power generation for the high power consumption of the payload need to be carefully designed. In this paper, we reviewed these two fundamental requirements and reviewed solutions for them.