Reference project: BIOMASS Sensor Study for the Earth Explorer Mission

Investigations in the rainforest

ESA Study on satellite for investigation of carbon cycle in rainforest (Satellite P-Band SAR Design) RST Sub-Contractor to ThalesAleniaSpace.

Customer: ESA (European Space Agency)

BIOMASS is a P-Band SAR Satellite project of the European Space Agency ESA.

RST was working in Subcontract to ThalesAleniaSpace in the area of Performance Analysis. Especially the analysis of ambiguity level of this SAR operating at a very low frequency (430 MHz) required the development of a new Software Program.

The project BIOMASS was focused to very large satellite antennas with diameters between 10 und 20 meters. Within a Pre-Feasibility study two types of antenna systems were traded:
1. Reflektorantenna with 12m diameter
2. Planar Array with 16m length

Within a further study the technological feasibility of the reflector antenna was analysed with spezial focus to folding capabilities of the reflector. Under the umbrella of a Phase A Study having been performed in 2010 RST analysed a spezial SAR-Processing method allowing to reduce the antenna dimension below 10m without jeopardizing the ambiguity performance.

As part of the 2014 BIOMASS mission phase B 1 System Study (Earth Explorer Core Mission 7 ) RST GmbH supported Thales Alenia Space France in analysing specifications of the P-band transponder and proposed a design of the P-band transponder (electronics, antenna and structure) and an estimate of its performance including the environment.
RST plans to offer its participation in these areas for the next BIOMASS - project phases.