TOPOLEV and C-PARAS

Abstract

The aim of the European Space Agency funded study on “Concepts for demonstration of advanced techniques and technologies on an EO small mission” was to assess ideas for EO missions compatible with implementation on a small satellite such as PROBA, and which may benefit from Formation Flying. The output of the study was a definition of various small satellite missions and their required developments. The study was led by Astrium Ltd, with support from Astrium SAS, Astrium GmbH, ENVEO, GMV and Verhaert Space. Following initial selection in the first part of the study, three candidates were analysed in detail in Phase 2. Of these three candidates, two of the missions (the Topographic Levelling mission “TOPOLEV”, and C-band PAssive RAdar Satellite(s), “C-PARAS”) require Formation Flying for single pass SAR interferometry, and these are presented in this chapter.

Appendix

1.1 Abbreviations and Acronyms

ACT	Across-Track
ADC	Analogue to Digital Converter
ADPMS	Advanced Data and Power Management System
AERL	Aerosol Land Mission
AIT	Assembly, Integration and Test
AIV	Assembly, Integration and Verification
ALT	Along-Track
AOCS	Attitude and Orbit Control System
APE	Absolute Pointing Error
ASAR	ENVISAT Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar
AVP	Anti-Velocity Panel
BUP	Bus Panel
CFRP	Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastics
COMS	Communication, Ocean, and Meteorological Satellite
C-PARAS	C-band PAssive RAdar Satellite(s)
DEM	Digital Elevation Map
DSP	Digital Signal Processor
DTAR	Distributed Target Ambiguity Ratio
DTED	Digital Terrain Elevation Data
EPC	Electronic Power Conditioner
ERS	European Remote Sensing Satellite
FDIR	Fault Detection, Isolation and Recovery
FDS	Flight Dynamics System
FEE	Front End Electronics
FF	Formation Flying
FFCC	Formation Flight Command and Control
FM	Flight Model
FOAMO	Foam Insulated Master Oscillator
FOS	Flight Operations Segment
FOV	Field of View
GCP	Ground Control Point
GOCI	Geostationary Ocean Colour Instrument
HPA	High Power Amplifier
HPGP	High Performance Green Propellant
IF	Intermediate Frequency
InSAR	Interferometric SAR
IOD	In-Orbit Demonstration
ISL	Inter-Satellite Link
IWS	Interferometric Wide Swath
LEO	Low Earth Orbit
LEOP	Launch and Early Operational Phase
LHS	Left-Hand Side
LNA	Low Noise Amplifier
LO	Local Oscillator
LST	Local Solar Time
LTAN	Local Time at Ascending Node
MERIS	Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer
MSI	MultiSpectral Instrument
NESZ	Noise Equivalent Sigma Naught
NRT	Near Real-Time
OLCI	Ocean and Land Colour Instrument
PCDU	Power Conditioning and Distribution Unit
PDGS	Payload Data Ground Segment
PDHS	Payload Data Handling Subsystem
PLP	Payload Panel
PM	Particulate Matter
PolinSAR	Polarisation InSAR
PRI	Pulse Repetition Interval
PROBA	Project for On Board Autonomy
PSU	Power Supply Unit
RHS	Right-Hand Side
RF	Radio Frequency
ROIC	Readout Integrated Circuit
RPE	Relative Pointing Error
S/C	Spacecraft
SAR	Synthetic Aperture Radar
SIR	Scan In Receive
SNR	Signal to Noise Ratio
SRTM	Shuttle Radar Topography Mission
SSMM	Solid State Mass Memory
SSO	Sun Synchronous Orbit
STALO	Stable Local Oscillator
STR	Star Tracker
TCM	Timing Control Module
THEOS	THailand Earth Observation System
TOA	Top of Atmosphere
TOPOLEV	Topographic Levelling mission
TOPS	Terrain Observation with Progressive Scans (ScanSAR with azimuth sweep-scanning)
TRL	Technology Readiness Level
TRM	Transmit Receive Module
TWT	Travelling Wave Tube
USO	Ultra Stable Oscillator
UTC	Universal Time, Coordinated
VP	Velocity Panel
WV	Water Vapour
ZP	Zenith Panel