How to access RADARSAT-1 data
Over its lifetime, RADARSAT-1 captured approximately 1.8 million images and supported a wide range of applications, including disaster management, agriculture, oceanography, and marine navigation.
This data played an important role in scientific research and government operations at the time and now forms a valuable historical archive. When combined with data from other missions like RADARSAT-2 or the RADARSAT Constellation Mission, it helps enable the study of environmental patterns and changes through a continuous record of more than 30 years.
All RADARSAT-1 archive data has been released under an Open Government Licence. Users can download the datasets for free through Natural Resources Canada's Earth Observation Data Management System (EODMS), as well as Amazon Web Services (AWS S3).
RADARSAT-1 data becomes easier to use
To further improve usability for a broader range of users, the EODMS plans to provide RADARSAT-1 Analysis Ready Data (ARD) alongside its existing raw archive.
Raw satellite observations will be processed into ready-to-use imagery (Level 1 SLC) using automated tools. During processing, technical issues such as orbit accuracy will be corrected to improve the reliability and consistency of the results.
This initiative will cover a large collection of images across Canada, and the resulting products will be made publicly available soon.
The following table lists a few factors to consider when choosing a RADARSAT-1 data source and product. The support teams (see Contacts, below) will provide you with assistance in determining the exact specifications for your product.
You can also find useful resources through the Canadian Space Agency's open data and information portal to help explore and work with RADARSAT-1 data, including Jupyter notebook examples and tutorials for visualizing and searching Earth observation data.
| Location | Geographic region of interest, usually a centre point or a defined area |
|---|---|
| Acquisition period | Date range to search, or date/time (UTC) of a specific catalogued image |
| Resolution | Low, medium, high. Specify desired beam mode if known |
| Application lookup table | Depends on the type of information to be extracted from the data |
| Delivery turnaround time | How quickly the data is required |
| Format | CEOS and/or GEOTIFF |
| Processing level | Raw or georeferenced. Value-added products may also be available |
Contacts
Government RADARSAT Data Services
Telephone: 450-926-6452
Email: r-sat@asc-csa.gc.ca
Earth Observation Data Management System
Email: eodms-sgdot@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca