Analysis of GEOSAT Radar Altimeter Errors Based on Pre-Launch Test Data

Abstract

Prelaunch test results conducted on the GEOSAT radar altimeter are discussed. This report is for documentation of results. The results are applicable to new sensor engineering design and testing, and post launch monitoring of performance degradation. These tests were to exercise the radar altimeter under: (1) conditions of transient and rapidly varying signal conditions, (2) nominal operating conditions, and (3) slowly varying conditions. The results have shown that the GEOSAT altimeter meets specifications, however, several subtle effects which will be important for designing future high precision altimeters are discussed. These effects relate to the temporal stability of the height, AGC, and waveform data; to interactions between AGC transients and height perturbations; and to height data statistics. Keywords: Remote sensing; Radar altimeter; Automatic gain control.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 28, 1988
Accession Number
ADA197818

Entities

People

  • A. Uliana
  • G. Hayne
  • J. Shuhy
  • L. Coy
  • Lakshmi Miller

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Sensors
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Automatic Gain Control
  • Covariance
  • Data Acquisition
  • Data Science
  • Engineering
  • Information Science
  • Measurement
  • Military Research
  • Plastic Explosives
  • Precision
  • Radar Altimeters
  • Simulators
  • Space Systems
  • Standards
  • Statistics
  • Waveforms

Readers

  • Radar Systems Engineering.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.
  • Systems Analysis and Design