EO·Atlas
PALSAR-3
Compiled from public sources on 2026-05-25. Not independently verified by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
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Active phased-array L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar, sole imaging payload of the ALOS-4 satellite (launched 1 July 2024). Operated by JAXA, built on the JAXA Advanced Satellite Bus-3 by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. Operates at L-band (selectable centre frequencies 1236.5 / 1257.5 / 1278.5 MHz), enabling deep canopy penetration for tropical forest disturbance detection. Principal advance over PALSAR-2 is the wider ScanSAR swath at finer resolution: 700 km swath at 25 m resolution versus PALSAR-2 350 km swath at 100 m. Stripmap modes 3 to 10 m resolution; Spotlight 3 by 1 m over 35 km scene. Dual polarisation (HH+HV) confirmed.
PALSAR-3 is the active phased-array L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar imaging payload on ALOS-4, operated by JAXA.[1] ALOS-4 launched on 1 July 2024 and carries PALSAR-3 for wide-area L-band radar observation.[1] PALSAR-3 supports ScanSAR Wide, Stripmap Fine, Stripmap High-Sensitive, Stripmap Ultrafine, and Spotlight modes, with ScanSAR Wide listed at 700 km swath and 25 m resolution.[1][2]
| Methodology | Evidence | Mission | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAR backscatter change detection | Demonstrated | ALOS-4 | [3] |
| InSAR surface deformation | Capable | ALOS-4 | [3] |
| Polarimetric SAR decomposition | Capable | ALOS-4 | [3] |
Pricing not publicly listed by operator
Compositional position
- [1]ALOS-4 outline and PALSAR-3 overview, JAXA EORCagency doc2026-05-25
- [2]ALOS-4 Initial Calibration/Validation Result, JAXA EORCagency doc2026-05-25
- [3]PALSAR-3 specifications, PASCO ALOS-4 data distributionoperator datasheet2026-05-25