Editing Radarsat-1 (section)

== Payload ==
RADARSAT-1 used a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensor to image the Earth at a single [[microwave]] frequency of 5.3&nbsp;GHz, in the [[C band (IEEE)|C band]] (wavelength of 5.6&nbsp;cm).<ref name=characteristics/> The SAR support structure was designed and manufactured by [[Northrop Grumman|Northrop Grumman Astro Aerospace]] and deployed to {{cvt|15|m}} in length on orbit. Unlike optical satellites that sense reflected sunlight, SAR systems transmitted microwave energy towards the surface and recorded the reflections. Thus, Radarsat-1 imaged the Earth, day or night, in any atmospheric condition, such as cloud cover, rain, snow, dust or haze.

Each of RADARSAT-1's seven beam modes offered a different image resolution. The modes included Fine, which covers an area of {{cvt|50|xx|50|km}} ({{cvt|2500|km2}}) with a resolution of {{cvt|10|m}}; Standard, which covered an area of {{cvt|100|xx|100|km}} ({{cvt|10000|km2}}) and had a resolution of {{cvt|30|m}}; and ScanSAR wide, which covered a {{cvt|500|xx|500|km}} ({{cvt|250000|km2}}) area with a resolution of {{cvt|100|m}}. RADARSAT-1 also had the unique ability to direct its beam at different angles.<ref name=characteristics/>