Photonics for satellite radars: the SPACEBEAM project

In this paper, we present the design analysis, the challenges of the development, and the results of a hybrid photonic-integrated circuit as the core element of a spaceborne RF receiver for a synthetic aperture radar in X-band, developed during the H2020 project SPACEBEAM. The designed system is capable of synthetizing three simultaneous scanning beams on the received signal and performing the frequency down-conversion. The whole photonics-assisted system is designed for space compliance and meets the target application requirements, representing a step forward toward a deeper penetration of photonics in microwave applications for challenging scenarios, like the observation of the Earth from space.