Satellite imagery

Today TRE uses data acquired by the ERS1/2 and Envisat satellites of the Euroepan Space Agency (ESA), and the Radarsat-1 satellite of the Canadian Space Agency. All these satellite platforms have C-band sensors allowing the generation of InSAR data-stacks.

ESA archives The ESA-ERS archives constitute a formidable source of information for historic investigations, that have occured in the period from 1992 up to 2001. Nowadays, the ESA satellite Envisat, launched in 2002, is available for acquiring data under different modes and resolutions world-wide.

RADARSAT archive For analysis aimed at studying phenomena after March 2002 and, in general, for operational monitoring projects of individual structures, we offer data of the Canadian satellite Radarsat-1. Its regularity of acquisition and the time span between two subsequent acquisitions (equal to 24 days rather than 35 days - nominal - of ERS) make Radarsat data particularly suitable for monitoring projects.

www.esa.int

www.space.gc.ca

For the future of PSInSAR™ processing
In the near future, new sensors will be available for PS analysis, namely:

• Cosmo Sky-Med: a 4-satellite constellation mounting X-band sensors (wavelength ~3 cm), operated by the Italian Space Agency (ASI). Two of the four satellites have already been launched during 2007. Cosmo is designed to monitor and survey the entire globe. When the constellation will be in orbit and fully operational, the same area will be revisited any 6/8 hours, it will open the way to new applications and services.
• TerraSAR-X: a German space agency (DLR) mission. It will be operational for research projects over limited area, mainly. TerraSAR-X was launched last June, 2007.
• RADARSAT-2: it is the follow-on to RADARSAT-1, launched in 1995. The new satellite was launched in December, 2007, and has been designed with significant and powerful technical advancements.