# UMBRA-SAR
*sensor . products*

X-band synthetic-aperture radar payload flown on Umbra satellites.

## Specifications
- **product status**: operational
- **deployment context**: orbital
- **manufacturer**: umbra
- **sensor**: {"instrument_family":"sar","measurement_principle":"active","frequency_band":"X","chirp_bandwidth_mhz":1200,"polarisation_modes":["HH","VV","SS"],"modes":[{"name":"Spotlight","resolution_range_m":0.25,"resolution_azimuth_m":0.25,"swath_km":4,"polarisation":"HH or VV"},{"name":"Extended Dwell","resolution_range_m":0.25,"resolution_azimuth_m":0.25,"swath_km":4,"polarisation":"HH or VV"},{"name":"Stripmap","resolution_range_m":3,"swath_km":20,"polarisation":"HH or VV"},{"name":"Scan","resolution_range_m":10,"swath_km":100,"polarisation":"HH or VV"}],"swath_km":100,"notes":"WMO lists UMBRA-SAR as X-band with 1200 MHz bandwidth and 25 cm best resolution; Umbra STAC docs identify X-band metadata and HH/VV/slant polarizations."}
- **entity type**: sensor
- **last verified date**: 2026-06-16
- **verified by**: agency-doc
- **claim status**: unclaimed
- **provider**: umbra
- **attributes**: {"kind":"sensor","product_status":"operational","deployment_context":"orbital","manufacturer":"umbra","description":"X-band synthetic-aperture radar payload flown on Umbra satellites.","sensor":"{\"instrument_family\":\"sar\",\"measurement_principle\":\"active\",\"frequency_band\":\"X\",\"chirp_bandwidth_mhz\":1200,\"polarisation_modes\":[\"HH\",\"VV\",\"SS\"],\"modes\":[{\"name\":\"Spotlight\",\"resolution_range_m\":0.25,\"resolution_azimuth_m\":0.25,\"swath_km\":4,\"polarisation\":\"HH or VV\"},{\"name\":\"Extended Dwell\",\"resolution_range_m\":0.25,\"resolution_azimuth_m\":0.25,\"swath_km\":4,\"polarisation\":\"HH or VV\"},{\"name\":\"Stripmap\",\"resolution_range_m\":3,\"swath_km\":20,\"polarisation\":\"HH or VV\"},{\"name\":\"Scan\",\"resolution_range_m\":10,\"swath_km\":100,\"polarisation\":\"HH or VV\"}],\"swath_km\":100,\"notes\":\"WMO lists UMBRA-SAR as X-band with 1200 MHz bandwidth and 25 cm best resolution; Umbra STAC docs identify X-band metadata and HH/VV/slant polarizations.\"}"}
- **relevance**: in-scope

## Editorial
UMBRA-SAR is an active X-band synthetic-aperture radar instrument for the UMBRA satellite programme, with 1200 MHz chirp bandwidth and HH, VV, and SS polarisation metadata. [^wmo-umbra-sar]

Its public mode set covers Spotlight, Extended Dwell, Stripmap, and Scan. Spotlight and Extended Dwell are recorded at 0.25 m range and azimuth resolution over 4 km swath; Stripmap is recorded at 3 m resolution over 20 km swath; and Scan is recorded at 10 m resolution over 100 km swath. [^wmo-umbra-sar]

Dwell, Spotlight, and Scan are current public collection modes, with Scan described at 50 cm to 2 m resolution for larger-area collections. SAR backscatter is demonstrated for the instrument, with no additional inference about classified modes or collection cadence. [^umbra-remote-sensing] [^wmo-umbra-sar]

## Compositional position
- umbra (missions) --[mission_payloads]--> UMBRA-SAR

## Sources
- [wmo-umbra-sar] | WMO OSCAR UMBRA-SAR instrument record | https://space.oscar.wmo.int/instruments/view/umbra_sar | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-16
- [wmo-umbra-programme] | WMO OSCAR UMBRA satellite programme record | https://space.oscar.wmo.int/satelliteprogrammes/view/umbra | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-16
- [umbra-remote-sensing] | Umbra remote sensing modes | https://umbra.space/remote-sensing/ | tier=operator-marketing | accessed=2026-06-16

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