Remote sensing of Mars by a flexible orbiting radar

Abstract A satellite based radar system to investigate the planet Mars can be expected to carry out several different roles, acting as an altimeter, a ground probing radar, and an ionospheric topside sounder. These roles place conflicting requirements on the radar design, in addition to the limitations of mass, power, telemetry and antenna deployment. These conflicting needs can be resolved through the use of a single, fully programmable radar instrument. This paper discusses the concept of such an instrument.