Radarsat-2

Radarsat-2 can achieve a finest resolution of approximately 1 meter in its Spotlight mode and 3 meters in Ultra-Fine mode. The satellite operates multiple beam modes with resolutions ranging from 1 to 100 meters, making it versatile for applications from detailed surveillance to wide-area ice monitoring.

Radarsat-2 was originally developed by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and built by MDA (MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates). In 2019, MDA sold the satellite and its imagery business to a consortium of Canada's federal and provincial governments for approximately 1 billion Canadian dollars. The satellite continues to be operated by MDA under a service agreement.

Radarsat-2 uses C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that transmits microwave pulses at 5.405 GHz and can image day or night through clouds, rain, and darkness. The satellite's radar signals penetrate weather conditions that block optical satellites, making it particularly valuable for monitoring the Arctic where cloud cover is persistent. It also supports quad-polarization, allowing detailed characterization of surface materials.

The RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) is Canada's three-satellite successor system launched in June 2019, designed to complement and eventually replace Radarsat-2's capabilities. RCM provides daily coverage of Canada's territory and maritime approaches with a 4-day exact revisit cycle, compared to Radarsat-2's 24-day cycle. Radarsat-2 remains operational as of the mid-2020s and continues to work alongside the newer constellation.