BBC News: NovaSAR: UK radar satellite returns first images

[Steve Kinney]

On 11/24/18 1:51 PM, juan wrote:
> On Sat, 24 Nov 2018 18:00:23 +0000 (UTC)
> jim bell <jdb10987 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
>> NovaSAR:. First all-UK SAR (synthetic aperture radar) satellite sends back images.


[...]
> 	I guess that kind of news is rather important for cypherpunks because of the "know your enemy" principle. 

vs. "Know your terrain," which includes many new (to human experience)
overlays generated by sensors and communications networks.

On the other hand, other than being a really cool ham radio project (I
would describe it as almost literally that) what's the new radar
satellite actually used for?

https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/n/novasar-s

quote:

NovaSAR-S provides medium resolution (6-30 m) imagery ideal for
applications in the following fields:

- flood monitoring

- agricultural crop assessment

- forest monitoring (temperate and rain forest)

- land use mapping

- disaster management

- maritime applications (e.g. ship detection, oil spill monitoring,
maritime safety, and security of defence applications).

/quote

In terms of this gadget's potential for military and State Security
purposes, that's almost laughable:  A flyswatter vs. laser guided
artillery rounds comparison fits the case of comparing NovaSAR-S to
military sensor packages.

NovaSAR-S makes primitive but useful LandSat functions available to
organizations working on shoestring budgets.  NovaSAR-S shift the
balance of power in the electronic warfare terrain toward some
"underdog" players, by eroding intelligence (Earth imaging) monopolies
presently held by the world's most powerful organizations.

:o)



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