Venus Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar Instrument Performance and Options

Abstract

The Venus Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (VISAR) is one of two instruments carried by the VERITAS Discovery Mission to Venus that was selected by NASA in June 2021 \cite{Sue22, Scott2022a}. VERITAS (Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, Insar, Topography And Spectroscopy) is a partnership between scientists and engineers at NASA/JPL in an international cooperation with the Germany Aerospace Center (DLR), the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the French Space Agency (CNES). VISAR, see \figref{fig:spacecraft}, aims to be the first to image Venus at \SI{30}{\meter} resolution on a global scale and deliver a digital elevation model at \SI{6}{\meter} height accuracy in addition to proving interferometric deformation maps of activity on another planet. The VISAR instrument has several interesting features and challenging aspects that are addressed in the paper. The focus is put on SAR performance and the options for the radar operation and imaging mode parameters given the constraints inherent to a planetary mission.