This work investigates a multiclass spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload architecture aimed at enabling distributed and scalable Earth Observation missions using NanoSats and/or MicroSats in cooperative satellite swarms. The proposed architecture addresses the challenge of achieving high performance SAR imaging within the inherent mass, volume and power constraints of small satellites while supporting advanced mission concepts such as SIMO/MIMO operation, formation flying and onboard artificial intelligence driven data processing.
Central to this architecture is a compact SAR Electronic Subsystem (SES) developed by ARESYS in the frame of SATURN mission of Italian Space Agency (ASI). It has been designed for 16U/16UXL NanoSats to be used with deployable 1 sqm reflector antenna and further evolved and adapted to
