New Insights from Australia's Synthetic Aperture Radar Capability, NOVASAR-l

Launched in September 2018, NovaSAR-1 is a novel Earth Observation (EO) satellite hosting the only operational spaceborne S-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), plus an Automatic Identification System receiver for use in ship tracking. Australia's 10% capacity share in this new satellite mission provides the nation with a first-ever sovereign civilian EO satellite capability. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) operates this service as a National Facility for research, supporting science projects that are scoping the application of S-band SAR to an array of terrestrial and marine environments, and implementing background mapping of the continent, which will be key to supporting a wide range of existing research. Utilising a suite of newly designed and implemented acquisition modes, CSIRO have (since October 2019) captured NovaSAR-1 imagery in all Australian states and territories and throughout parts of the neighbouring Pacific region. For Australia, this mission provides significant opportunities to gain experience in satellite operations and creates new opportunities in the field of remote sensing, advancing Australia's imaging radar capability and further developing national EO data analytics expertise.