U.S. Commercial SAR Scatterometry for OSVW and TCI Data Collection

Under this Phase I SBIR effort, Capella Space will leverage our expertise in SAR technologies and remote sensing to perform research to determine the viability of utilizing a modified version of the Capella SAR system to provide measure of ocean surface vector wind (OSVW) and tropical cyclone intensity (TCI).  To accomplish the objectives of this effort, Capella is breaking the approach into three measurable tasks: Task 1: Design a notional commercial SAR constellation that delivers OSVW data in line with latency, revisit, and coverage requirements. Task 2: Conduct a trade study around an optimal payload and system design to meet the specific requirements of a proliferated LEO OSVW constellation. Task 3: Validate the optimal payload design through analysis, simulation, and on-orbit testing using existing Capella satellites. The existing operational Capella constellation will serve as a test platform to inform the study and design of the notional COSAS system.