On December 9, 2012, HJ-1 environmental satellite C completed launching, SAR load antenna deployment, SAR load constant standalone power-up, full discharge of SAR load high power launching path feeder waveguide (avoid low-pressure discharge) and other preparations, SAR load successfully starts up and returns the first S-band synthetic aperture radar images.
HJ-1 environmental satellite C is China’s first independently developed civil synthetic aperture radar satellite, its payload is S-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), which holds all-day, all-weather observation capacity and 5m resolution image can be obtained whereof. SAR subsystem can be divided into antenna subsystem and central electronic equipment subsystem, Institute of Electronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences is responsible for comprehensive development of SAR subsystem.
Institute of Electronics, as the chief responsible Institute of SAR load, with guidance of higher authorities and satellite, launched development of localized high-power transmitters (CLP No. 14 Institute) and localized antenna subsystem (CAST, Xi'an Branch) in October 2008 and February 2010 respectively in response to risk of imported products. The Institute overcame tight schedule, difficult technological breakthrough and other difficulties and ensured that standard product is delivered to satellite as planned.
Success of HJ-1 environmental satellite C, marks the composition of environment and disaster detection forecast “small satellite constellation” with HJ-1 environmental satellite A and B, so that all-weather, all-time dynamic detection on ecological environment and disaster can be carried out in a wide range, occurrence of ecological environment and disaster can be timely reflected and the development trend can be predicted. Hence, providing important scientific data for rapid assessment, disaster relief and reconstruction work.
Institute of Electronics, through development of HJ-1 environmental satellite C SAR subsystem, has enhanced development capacity of aerospace engineering and trained a young, energetic engineering development team, showing knowledge innovative, technology leading scientific research level of the CAS, which further consolidates leadership of Institute of Electronics in the field of domestic microwave remote sensing and lays a solid foundation for development of synthetic aperture radar.
(Zheng Jin for Project Management Office)
