WASHINGTON - Long before a volcano erupts or a mountainous snowpack disappears, millimeter-scale changes in Earth’s surface indicate larger geologic processes are at work. But detecting those minute changes, which can serve as early warnings for impending disasters, is difficult, NASA reports. Continue reading original article.
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
20 August 2025 - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), in collaboration with the aerospace firm Aloft Sensing in Ann Arbor, Mich., and supported by the Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO), has developed a compact Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) instrument called HALE InSAR. Designed for High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) platforms such as balloons or lightweight aircraft, the system delivers millimeter-scale sensitivity to surface deformation and centimeter-level vertical accuracy, providing unprecedented precision in monitoring changes on Earth’s surface.
The radar weighs less than 15 pounds and consumes under 300 watts of power, making it lighter and more efficient than conventional InSAR systems. This compact and low-power design makes it well-suited for small, long-duration aerial platforms that previously could not carry radar of this sophistication.
Another key innovation is the flat phased-array antenna, which is about the size of a tablet and can steer the radar beam electronically. By eliminating the need for heavy mechanical gimbals, this design reduces both weight and complexity.
The system also incorporates advanced positioning algorithms and a software-defined transceiver. These features allow precise positioning without relying solely on GPS and enable flexible beam control and data handling within a lightweight architecture.
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Jamie Whitney, Senior Editor
Military + Aerospace Electronics
