Radarsat-1

RADARSAT-1
RADARSAT-1 satellite
Mission typeEarth observation
OperatorCanadian Space Agency
COSPAR ID1995-059A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.23710
Websitewww.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/satellites/radarsat1/
Mission duration5 years (planned)
17 years, 4 months, 24 days (achieved)
Spacecraft properties
BusRADARSAT
ManufacturerMDA (formerly Spar Aerospace)
Ball Aerospace
Launch mass2,750 kg (6,060 lb) [1]
Power2.1 kW
Start of mission
Launch date4 November 1995, 14:22 UTC
RocketDelta II 7920-10
Launch siteVandenberg, SLC-2W
ContractorBoeing
End of mission
Last contact29 March 2013
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Perigee altitude793 km (493 mi)
Apogee altitude821 km (510 mi)
Inclination98.60°
Period100.70 minutes

RADARSAT-1 was Canada's first commercial Earth observation satellite. It utilized synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to obtain images of the Earth's surface to manage natural resources and monitor global climate change. As of March 2013, the satellite was declared non-operational and is no longer collecting data.

  1. ^ "Satellite Characteristics". Canadian Space Agency. 21 January 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2014.