# SAR-X (RISAT-2 series)
*sensor . products*

X-band synthetic aperture radar instrument flown on RISAT-2, RISAT-2B, RISAT-2BR1 and EOS-01, supporting strategic pointing within a 650 km field of regard and 1 to 8 m resolution depending on acquisition mode.

## Specifications
- **product status**: operational
- **deployment context**: orbital
- **manufacturer**: isro
- **sensor**: {"instrument_family":"sar","measurement_principle":"active","frequency_band":"X","centre_frequency_mhz":9590,"polarisation_modes":["HH","VV","HV","VH"],"incidence_angle_range_deg":[20,45],"swath_km":50,"modes":[{"name":"Super-Stripmap","resolution_range_m":1.8,"swath_km":10},{"name":"Stripmap","resolution_range_m":3,"swath_km":10},{"name":"ScanSAR","resolution_range_m":8,"swath_km":50},{"name":"Spotlight","resolution_range_m":2,"swath_km":10}],"notes":"WMO OSCAR records SAR-X (RISAT-2) as a 9.59 GHz X-band SAR with 10 to 50 km swath, 1 to 8 m resolution by mode, and left/right pointing within a 650 km field of regard."}
- **entity type**: sensor
- **last verified date**: 2026-06-16
- **verified by**: agency-doc
- **claim status**: agency-sourced
- **provider**: isro
- **attributes**: {"kind":"sensor","product_status":"operational","deployment_context":"orbital","manufacturer":"isro","description":"X-band synthetic aperture radar instrument flown on RISAT-2, RISAT-2B, RISAT-2BR1 and EOS-01, supporting strategic pointing within a 650 km field of regard and 1 to 8 m resolution depending on acquisition mode.","sensor":"{\"instrument_family\":\"sar\",\"measurement_principle\":\"active\",\"frequency_band\":\"X\",\"centre_frequency_mhz\":9590,\"polarisation_modes\":[\"HH\",\"VV\",\"HV\",\"VH\"],\"incidence_angle_range_deg\":[20,45],\"swath_km\":50,\"modes\":[{\"name\":\"Super-Stripmap\",\"resolution_range_m\":1.8,\"swath_km\":10},{\"name\":\"Stripmap\",\"resolution_range_m\":3,\"swath_km\":10},{\"name\":\"ScanSAR\",\"resolution_range_m\":8,\"swath_km\":50},{\"name\":\"Spotlight\",\"resolution_range_m\":2,\"swath_km\":10}],\"notes\":\"WMO OSCAR records SAR-X (RISAT-2) as a 9.59 GHz X-band SAR with 10 to 50 km swath, 1 to 8 m resolution by mode, and left/right pointing within a 650 km field of regard.\"}"}
- **technology**: radar

## Editorial
SAR-X is the X-band synthetic aperture radar carried across ISRO's RISAT-2 satellite series, spanning RISAT-2, RISAT-2B, RISAT-2BR1, and EOS-01.[^eoportal-risat2] The RISAT-2B-series instruments represent an indigenous design developed by ISRO's Space Applications Centre.[^isro-atmanirbhar-sar] The instrument operates at a centre frequency of 9.59 GHz with left- and right-side look capability within a 650 km field of regard.[^wmo-sar-x-risat] Four acquisition modes are available: Super-Stripmap at 1.8 m range resolution and 10 km swath, Stripmap at 3 m range resolution and 10 km swath, Spotlight at 2 m range resolution and 10 km swath, and ScanSAR at 8 m range resolution and 50 km swath.[^wmo-sar-x-risat] Incidence angles span 20 to 45 degrees.[^wmo-sar-x-risat] The radar supports quad-polarisation operation across HH, VV, HV, and VH channels.[^wmo-sar-x-risat] Demonstrated measurement approaches include SAR backscatter intensity mapping and polarimetric decomposition analysis; the instrument is also capable of repeat-pass coherence-based change detection.[^wmo-sar-x-risat]

## Compositional position
- risat-2br1 (missions) --[mission_payloads]--> SAR-X (RISAT-2 series)
- risat-2br2 (missions) --[mission_payloads]--> SAR-X (RISAT-2 series)

## Sources
- [wmo-sar-x-risat] | WMO OSCAR instrument record: SAR-X (RISAT-2) | https://space.oscar.wmo.int/instruments/view/sar_x_risat_2 | tier=third-party | accessed=2026-06-16
- [eoportal-risat2] | RISAT-2 mission page, eoPortal | https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/risat-2 | tier=operator-engineering | accessed=2026-06-16
- [isro-atmanirbhar-sar] | High Power Radar Transmitter Systems for SAR payloads, ISRO Atmanirbhar | https://www.isro.gov.in/Atmanirbhar/High_Power_Radar_Transmitter_Systems.html | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-16
- [wp-risat2br1] | RISAT-2BR1, Wikipedia | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RISAT-2BR1 | tier=community | accessed=2026-06-16
- [wp-risat2b] | RISAT-2B, Wikipedia | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RISAT-2B | tier=community | accessed=2026-06-16
- [gunters-risat2b] | RISAT 2B/2BR1/2BR2 (EOS-01), Gunter's Space Page | https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/risat-2b.htm | tier=community | accessed=2026-06-16

---
Source: https://eo-atlas.org/products/sensor/sar-x
Maintainer: SpectraWorks B.V. (CC-BY 4.0)