Oh Say Can You See… Through the Clouds, Canada’s RADARSAT-1 Produces Image of the USA

A mosaic of the United States taken by
the renowned RADARSAT-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite, operated
by the Canadian Space Agency(CSA), was presented today to conference
delegates attending the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing
Symposium (IGARSS) in Honolulu.

“The absolutely outstanding results of the USA mosaic”, said Surendra
Parashar, CSA Director of Satellite Operations, “reaffirms our commitment to
pursue similar projects that will continue to enhance knowledge,
understanding and protection of our global resources and environment.”

The USA mosaic, a compilation of 190 images captured over the continent
broadly demonstrates the timely and detailed observation capacity of
RADARSAT-1 and the expertise of RADARSAT International who in a joint
project with the CSA processed the high resolution data required to create
the USA mosaic.

RADARSAT-1 is providing Canada and the world with an operational radar
satellite system capable of delivering timely and critical data to assist
disaster relief and emergency rescue efforts and the information required by
commercial and scientific users in the fields of agriculture, cartography,
hydrology, forestry, oceanography, ice studies and coastal monitoring.

The first such map ever produced of the United States by an Earth
Observation satellite, the USA mosaic is part of an on-going project of the
Canadian Space Agency which has generated the production of mosaics of
Antarctica, Canada and now the United States. Currently underway is the
comprehensive data mapping of Africa which is projected for completion in
2001.

A PhotoShop version of the USA mosaic, showing the contiguous states and
boundaries as a reference may be downloaded for publication with attribution
from the following website:
ftp://ftp.space.gc.ca/pub/communication/gallery/images/HighRes/satellites/ra
darsat_1/usa_mosaic/

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Information:

Caroline Lavallée

Senior Communications Advisor

Tel (450) 926-4370

Cell (514) 943-6808

Fax (450) 926-4352

caroline.lavallée@espace.gc.ca

http://www.espace.gc.ca

Brad Foster

Corporate Communications

Tel. (604) 231-2215

bfoster@mda.ca

http://www.mda.ca

http://www. rsi.ca

About the Canadian Space Agency

Established in 1989, with its headquarters located in Saint Hubert, Quebec,
the Canadian Space Agency ensures that Canadians in all regions learn and
benefit from the development and application of space knowledge, science and
technology.

The Canadian Space Agency supports and promotes a highly competitive space
industry, contributes to the sustainable development of Canada and the
world, and fosters initiatives to increase awareness of the Canadian Space
Program throughout the world.

With almost half of Canada’s GDP growth in the knowledge-intensive sectors
of the economy, the Canadian Space Program is a key driver behind continued
leadership on the world stage. Based on extensive and open consultation with
Canadian stakeholders, opportunities were identified for potential
cooperation with international partners in the areas of: Earth Observation,
Space Science, Human Presence in Space, Satellite Communications and in the
development of Generic Space Technologies. Canadian participation in these
key sectors are providing new opportunities for industry and scientists, and
long-term social and economic benefits for all Canadians.

About RADARSAT International (RSI)

RADARSAT International is a worldwide distributor of Earth observation
satellite data. Since 1989, RSI has been working with its partners to create
cost-effective, custom products and services to meet the unique requirements
of operational applications such as crop monitoring, ice reconnaissance,
geological mapping, disaster management, forest management, ship detection,
and land use management.

RSI’s partners include an international network of more than seventy
distributors, ten ground receiving stations, and nine resource centres, all
of whom offer near-real time services, data processing, and/or training to
local users. RSI prides itself on being a “one-stop-shop” for satellite
information solutions. RSI’s product line features RADARSAT-1, the world’s
first radar remote sensing satellite program entirely dedicated to
operational applications. Its state-of-the-art capabilities provide resource
management and environmental monitoring professionals around the globe with
a new and reliable view of the Earth’s surface.

RSI is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates
established in 1989. RSI currently has a staff of 90 employees, and has its
headquarters in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada with offices in Ottawa,
Ontario, Canada; Gatineau, Québec, Canada; and, Farnham, United Kingdom.