Synspective SAR Constellation Status Update: Recent Calval Activities and the Automatic Data Quality Assessment

Synspective, a leading Japanese space tech company, is building a constellation of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites. This paper presents an overview of the state of the constellation as of mid-2023, focusing on key aspects such as radar payload calibration, validation through sea wind retrieval, and the implementation of an automatic quality control system. The paper highlights the calibration procedures employed by Synspective, emphasizing their importance in enabling effective cross-satellite and cross-constellation image analysis. Furthermore, it demonstrates how SAR data can be utilized to retrieve sea wind information and validate the accuracy of calibration parameters. Given the substantial volume of images generated by the constellation, Synspective has implemented an automatic quality control system. This system is seamlessly integrated with the SAR-focusing software, allowing for efficient and reliable monitoring of data quality throughout the satellite’s lifetime to ensure the delivery of high-quality SAR imagery and data products.