# StarSAR-X
*sensor . products*

MetaSensing spaceborne X-band phased-array SAR payload with electronic steering and sub-0.2 m slant-range resolution.

## Specifications
- **manufacturer**: metasensing
- **sensor**: {"instrument_family":"sar","measurement_principle":"active","frequency_band":"X","centre_frequency_mhz":9600,"chirp_bandwidth_mhz":500,"polarisation_modes":["V","full-polarimetric optional configuration"],"antenna_length_m":5,"transmit_power_w":2200,"swath_km":120,"modes":[{"name":"Spotlight","resolution_range_m":0.3,"resolution_azimuth_m":0.5,"swath_km":10},{"name":"Stripmap","resolution_range_m":0.5,"resolution_azimuth_m":2.5,"swath_km":30},{"name":"ScanSAR-2","resolution_range_m":0.5,"resolution_azimuth_m":5,"swath_km":60},{"name":"ScanSAR-3","resolution_range_m":0.5,"resolution_azimuth_m":10,"swath_km":90},{"name":"ScanSAR-4","resolution_range_m":0.5,"resolution_azimuth_m":20,"swath_km":120}],"notes":"Operator sources state X-band; exact centre frequency not published. NOCTUA paper specifies 500 MHz maximum bandwidth, 5.0 x 0.8 m antenna, 480 TRMs, vertical linear antenna polarization for the NOCTUA design, and <2200 W RF peak power. 2025 brochure advertises VHR spotlight down to 0.125 x 0.25 m and single/digital multichannel configurations; mode table here uses the operator-engineering NOCTUA values for conservative comparable specs."}
- **deployment context**: orbital
- **entity type**: sensor
- **last verified date**: 2026-05-26
- **verified by**: operator
- **claim status**: unclaimed
- **provider**: metasensing
- **attributes**: {"kind":"sensor","product_status":null,"manufacturer":"metasensing","description":"MetaSensing spaceborne X-band phased-array SAR payload with electronic steering and sub-0.2 m slant-range resolution.","sensor":"{\"instrument_family\":\"sar\",\"measurement_principle\":\"active\",\"frequency_band\":\"X\",\"centre_frequency_mhz\":9600,\"chirp_bandwidth_mhz\":500,\"polarisation_modes\":[\"V\",\"full-polarimetric optional configuration\"],\"antenna_length_m\":5,\"transmit_power_w\":2200,\"swath_km\":120,\"modes\":[{\"name\":\"Spotlight\",\"resolution_range_m\":0.3,\"resolution_azimuth_m\":0.5,\"swath_km\":10},{\"name\":\"Stripmap\",\"resolution_range_m\":0.5,\"resolution_azimuth_m\":2.5,\"swath_km\":30},{\"name\":\"ScanSAR-2\",\"resolution_range_m\":0.5,\"resolution_azimuth_m\":5,\"swath_km\":60},{\"name\":\"ScanSAR-3\",\"resolution_range_m\":0.5,\"resolution_azimuth_m\":10,\"swath_km\":90},{\"name\":\"ScanSAR-4\",\"resolution_range_m\":0.5,\"resolution_azimuth_m\":20,\"swath_km\":120}],\"notes\":\"Operator sources state X-band; exact centre frequency not published. NOCTUA paper specifies 500 MHz maximum bandwidth, 5.0 x 0.8 m antenna, 480 TRMs, vertical linear antenna polarization for the NOCTUA design, and <2200 W RF peak power. 2025 brochure advertises VHR spotlight down to 0.125 x 0.25 m and single/digital multichannel configurations; mode table here uses the operator-engineering NOCTUA values for conservative comparable specs.\"}","bus":null,"ground_segment":null,"launcher":null,"analysis_service":null,"deployment_context":"orbital"}
- **technology**: radar

## Editorial
StarSAR-X is a MetaSensing spaceborne X-band phased-array SAR payload for orbital operation.[^starsar-product-page]

The NOCTUA design uses a 5.0 m by 0.8 m antenna with 480 transmit-receive modules, up to 500 MHz chirp bandwidth, vertical linear antenna polarization, and less than 2,200 W RF peak power.[^starsar-noctua]

Its mode set spans Spotlight at 0.3 m range and 0.5 m azimuth resolution over 10 km, Stripmap at 0.5 m range and 2.5 m azimuth resolution over 30 km, and ScanSAR variants from 60 km to 120 km swath at 5 m to 20 m azimuth resolution.[^starsar-noctua]

StarSAR-X supports very-high-resolution spotlight imaging down to 0.125 m by 0.25 m and single or digital multichannel configurations.[^starsar-brochure]

| Methodology | Evidence |
|---|---|
| InSAR surface deformation | Capable.[^starsar-noctua] |
| SAR backscatter change detection | Capable.[^starsar-noctua] |
| Polarimetric SAR decomposition | Full-polarimetric configuration enables PolSAR decomposition (operator-claimed; independent validation not confirmed).[^starsar-product-page] |

## Sources
- [starsar-noctua] | MetaSensing StarSAR-X NOCTUA technical paper | https://metasensing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/MetaSensing_StarSAR-X_NOCTUA.pdf | tier=operator-engineering | accessed=2026-05-26
- [starsar-brochure] | Brochure StarSAR-X MetaSensing | https://metasensing.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Brochure-StarSAR-X_MetaSensing.pdf | tier=operator-datasheet | accessed=2026-05-26
- [starsar-product-page] | StarSAR-X product page | https://metasensing.com/starsar-x/ | tier=operator-marketing | accessed=2026-05-26

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