SAR is an active sensor, so RADARSAT-2 can collect detailed imagery of Earth's surface independent of light and through heavy cloud cover, enabling all-weather, day/night persistent surveillance of Canada's northern coastlines and ocean approaches. In addition, capitalizing on its successes with RADARSAT-1 and extensive knowledge of user needs, MDA engineered RADARSAT-2 to offer several enhanced technical advancements, including 3-meter imaging, fully selectable multipolarization modes (see “RADARSAT-2's Polarimetry Options,” page 12), left- and right-looking imaging options to improve revisit times, superior SAR imaging time and data storage, and significantly improved programming lead times and order processing speeds.

Polar Epsilon imagery offers the advantage of precise cueing and location of activities, which allows for a more efficient and cost-effective use of other Canadian military assets. RADARSAT-2 can generate wide-area surveillance using 500-kilometer wide swaths at 6.5 kilo-meters per second, making it likely to be the first sensor of detection. Then this information can be available for patrol aircraft and ships. Because no single sensor can provide all the information required for all applications and users, this layered approach will enable Canada to generate unprecedented knowledge of its land and maritime regions.

Arctic Land Surveillance
RADARSAT-2's ability to provide surveillance in areas where other sensors are limited or unable to operate is particularly useful in the Arctic, which is in darkness or under cloud cover much of the year. RADARSAT-2's polar orbit is well suited to Arctic surveillance and tracking changes in this sensitive environment. 

Polar Epsilon will enable DND to conduct land surveillance of Canada's Arctic region to determine rates of change in flora and fauna, water, ice and other environmental factors. Rapid climate change in Canada's Arctic points to viable international shipping routes through the region within decades. A reliable, accurate way to monitor ships and protect northern sovereignty in this fragile ecosystem is critical to national and international environmental and security requirements.

Operational Use of Space
The main thrust of Polar Epsilon will be DND investment in computer applications and ground systems that will enable bicoastal reception and processing of data from RADARSAT-2. This includes the recently announced design and construction of two new RADARSAT-2 ground stations at existing DND facilities—one on the East Coast in Masstown, Nova Scotia, and the other on the West Coast in Aldergrove, British Columbia. The ground stations will be owned and operated by the Canadian government and are expected to be operational by late 2010, processing finished images that will be used by DND and other Canadian government departments.

Polar Epsilon is a major step by DND to introduce space-based surveillance systems into the national security infrastructure. It is envisioned that Canada will move toward an interconnected network of space, air and land sensors that will generate data to create layers of intelligence within a unified system. Completion of the Polar Epsilon project is expected by March 2011.

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