RADAR modular technologies: Key building blocks for flexible satellite design

Almost all flying Earth observation European satellites embark digital, microwave and antenna technologies designed, developed and produced by Thales Alenia Space. After the achievements obtained from COSMO-SkyMed satellite family (all first four fully operational, the oldest one has overcome 7 years in orbit vs. 5 years planned), RADAR technology has been pushed on KARI's Kompsat-5 satellite and on ESA GMES/Copernicus Sentinel-1 launched on April 2014. In particular all the active electronics of the ESA satellite phased array antenna come from TAS factories. The paper present the key concepts that drive modern space radar design and the performance evolution of building blocks in term of mass, efficiency and specific performance figures.