High Speed Data Link Design for Spaceborne Multi-Mode SAR Image Data Transmission

A high speed dat link capability is one of the critical factors in determining the performance of the spacebome SAR system with high resolution. It is due to the strict requirement for the real-time transmission from a series of massive raw image data of spacebome SAR to the ground station in a limited time of mission. In this paper, based on the data link model characterized by the spacebome small SAR system, the high rate multi-channel data link module is designed including link storage, link processor, transmitter, and wide-angle antenna. The design results are presented with the performance analysis on the data link budget as well as the multi-mode data rate in association with the SAR imaging mode of operation from high resolution to the wide swath. The designed multi-channel architecture can be effectively used for the spacebome and airborne applications which requires to expand the high speed data link capability.