COSMO-SkyMed SAR Instrument Calibration Approach

Abstract:
This paper discusses the instrument calibration approach of the COSMO-SkyMed SAR, developed by Alcatel Alenia Space Italia under contract of Italian Space Agency and Italian Ministry of Defence. Instrument calibration is based on devoted calibration modes, which are used to test the antenna module by module, and on the development of an antenna model for the prediction of the antenna patterns on the basis of the measurement taken during the on-ground characterisation campaign. Antenna model will be used during the in-flight operations for the prediction of the beams; both T/R module data achieved by internal calibration and external calibration measurements will be used to update the model during the commissioning phase.