Data sources

Every sensor that can answer the question.

ARASAT integrates public Earth observation missions, commercial constellations, UAV surveys and ground networks in one processing pipeline. The catalogue below lists the sources we work with and their published specifications.

Sensor families

Multi-sensor. Multi-source.

Each family answers a different kind of question. Combining them is what turns imagery into intelligence.

SAR (radar)
All-weather, day-and-night imaging for surface monitoring, change detection and risk assessment.
Optical imagery
Multispectral data for visual analysis, mapping and land monitoring.
Thermal data
Temperature and heat information for environmental monitoring, agriculture and urban analysis.
Meteorological data
Weather models, precipitation, wind and climate datasets for forecasting and early warning.
Hyperspectral data
Narrow-band spectral measurements for material identification, vegetation stress and water quality.
In-situ and third-party data
Ground measurements, IoT sensors and partner data for validation and improved accuracy.

Data catalogue

Missions, constellations and platforms

Grouped by sensor type. Public missions are openly available; commercial data is licensed per project; UAV surveys are flown where satellites are not enough.

39 sources in 7 groups

Radar (SAR)

All-weather, day-and-night imaging for surface motion, flooding, moisture and change detection.

Mission	Sensor	Operator	Detail
Sentinel-1	C-band SAR	ESA	5 × 20 m interferometric wide swath, 6–12 day revisit
NISAR	L- and S-band SAR	NASA / ISRO	240 km swath, 12-day repeat, launched 2025
ALOS-2 / ALOS-4	L-band SAR (PALSAR-2/3)	JAXA	3–100 m, forest, subsidence and disaster monitoring
RADARSAT Constellation	C-band SAR	CSA	Three satellites, 1–100 m, daily coverage of Canada and maritime areas
ICEYE	X-band SAR	Commercial	Constellation with sub-metre spot imaging, tasking on demand
Capella Space	X-band SAR	Commercial	Sub-metre spotlight and stripmap imaging
Umbra	X-band SAR	Commercial	Down to 16 cm resolution
TerraSAR-X / TanDEM-X	X-band SAR	DLR / Airbus	Down to 25 cm staring spotlight; global DEM

Optical multispectral

Visible, near- and shortwave-infrared imagery for land cover, vegetation, water and urban mapping.

Mission	Sensor	Operator	Detail
Sentinel-2	MSI, 13 bands	ESA	10–60 m, 5-day revisit
Landsat 8 / 9	OLI / TIRS	NASA / USGS	30 m multispectral, 15 m panchromatic, 100 m thermal, 8-day combined revisit
MODIS	36 bands	NASA (Terra, Aqua)	250 m – 1 km, near-daily global coverage
VIIRS	22 bands incl. day/night band	NASA / NOAA	375–750 m, daily; night-time lights
Sentinel-3	OLCI, SLSTR, SRAL	ESA	300 m ocean and land colour, sea-surface temperature, altimetry
PlanetScope / SkySat	Multispectral	Planet (commercial)	3 m daily coverage; 50 cm tasked imagery
WorldView / WorldView Legion	Very-high-resolution multispectral	Maxar (commercial)	30 cm-class panchromatic, 8-band multispectral
Pléiades Neo / SPOT 6-7	Very-high-resolution multispectral	Airbus (commercial)	30 cm and 1.5 m, daily tasking

Hyperspectral

Hundreds of narrow spectral bands for mineral, vegetation, soil and water-quality analysis.

Mission	Sensor	Operator	Detail
EnMAP	Imaging spectrometer	DLR	~230 bands (420–2450 nm), 30 m, 30 km swath
EMIT	Imaging spectrometer	NASA (ISS)	285 bands (380–2500 nm), 60 m; mineral dust and methane
PRISMA	Hyperspectral + panchromatic	ASI	239 bands at 30 m, 5 m panchromatic
PACE (OCI)	Hyperspectral ocean colour	NASA	Global ocean and atmosphere, ~1 km
Tanager	Hyperspectral	Planet (commercial)	400+ bands, 30 m; methane and CO₂ detection

Thermal, altimetry and hydrology

Surface temperature, evapotranspiration, soil moisture, water storage, elevation and vegetation structure.

Mission	Sensor	Operator	Detail
ECOSTRESS	Thermal infrared	NASA (ISS)	~70 m, plant water stress and evapotranspiration
SMAP	L-band radiometer	NASA	Soil moisture at 36 km (9 km enhanced), 2–3 day revisit
SMOS	L-band radiometer	ESA	Soil moisture and ocean salinity, ~40 km
GRACE-FO	Gravimetry	NASA / GFZ	Monthly terrestrial water storage and groundwater change
GPM (IMERG)	Precipitation radar and radiometers	NASA / JAXA	0.1° precipitation every 30 minutes
ICESat-2 / GEDI	Laser altimetry / lidar	NASA	Elevation, ice, canopy height and forest structure

Atmosphere, weather and climate

Atmospheric composition, reanalysis and numerical weather prediction as inputs to forecasting and early warning.

Mission	Sensor	Operator	Detail
Sentinel-5P	TROPOMI	ESA	NO₂, CH₄, CO, O₃, SO₂ and aerosols, daily global
ERA5	Reanalysis	ECMWF	Hourly, 0.25°, 1940 to present
ECMWF IFS / GFS	Numerical weather prediction	ECMWF / NOAA	Global deterministic and ensemble forecasts
CHIRPS	Blended precipitation	UCSB Climate Hazards Center	0.05°, daily to monthly, 1981 to present

UAV and aerial

Centimetre-level surveys where satellites are not enough: field validation, infrastructure and small sites.

Mission	Sensor	Operator	Detail
UAV RGB photogrammetry	RGB cameras	ARASAT and partners	Orthomosaics and 3D models at 1–5 cm
UAV multispectral	5–10 band multispectral	ARASAT and partners	Crop vigour, stress and vegetation indices at field scale
UAV thermal	Thermal infrared	ARASAT and partners	Irrigation performance, leak detection, building and asset inspection
UAV and aerial lidar	Lidar	ARASAT and partners	Terrain, canopy and infrastructure geometry

In-situ, IoT and third-party

Ground truth that calibrates and validates every satellite-derived product.

Mission	Sensor	Operator	Detail
Weather and synoptic stations	Meteorological	National services and partners	Precipitation, temperature, humidity, wind
Soil moisture and agro-meteorological networks	In-situ probes	Partners	Multi-depth soil moisture, soil temperature
Hydrometric gauges	In-situ	Water authorities	River discharge, reservoir and groundwater levels
Field surveys and IoT sensors	Mixed	ARASAT and partners	Crop type, yield samples, water quality, asset condition

Specifications are the operators' published figures and may change as missions evolve. Commercial imagery is subject to the provider's licence terms. Additional sources are integrated on request.

From space. For Earth.

Start with ARASAT

Tell us what you need to monitor, understand or protect. Our team works with you from the first conversation to a running program.

Every sensor that can answer the question.

Multi-sensor. Multi-source.

SAR (radar)

Optical imagery

Thermal data

Meteorological data

Hyperspectral data

In-situ and third-party data