SAR Mission Planning for ERS-1 and ERS-2

Sergio D’Elia, Simon Jutz
sdelia@esrin.esa.it   sjutz@esrin.esa.it
ESA / ESRIN

Abstract:
This paper presents the Mission Planning activities performed at 
ESRIN for the Synthetic Aperture Radar instruments on board of 
ERS-1 and ERS-2.

A brief description of the Ground Segment (from user interface to 
data provision), of the Mission constraints and of the planning 
tools, introduces to the experience made in planning one satellite 
at a time and both in “Tandem”. The influence in mission planning 
of user expectations, special user requests, conflicts among user 
requests, conflicts with other sensors, addition of a “Baseline 
Plan”, practical ground segment constraints (very much different 
from the anticipated ones), parallel planning of ERS-1 and ERS-2, 
interference with other missions, etc. are all analysed and the 
implemented solutions are described.

The experience gained can be used for future missions in the 
identification of the really achievable mission objectives, in the 
definition of the offer to the user, in the design of the Mission 
Planning system with particular attention to user and mission 
planner interface, in the preparation of agreements with the 
acquisition stations, etc.