Being the second largest country in the world, with a variety of landscapes and climatic conditions,  Canada recognized the practical and economic benefits of using space for Earth observation early on.  With global environmental monitoring and protection being a worldwide concern, Earth observation is a  key priority of the Canadian Space Program, and RADARSAT was developed as Canada's flagship to  pursue this priority. It is a Canadian-led project involving the Canadian federal government, the Canadian  provinces, and the private sector. It provides useful information to both commercial and scientific users in  such fields as disaster management, interferometry, agriculture, cartography, hydrology, forestry,  oceanography, ice studies and coastal monitoring. Radarsat-2 capabilities are shown in Figure 2.  RADARSAT-1 is a sophisticated Earth observation (EO) satellite. Launched in November 1995, it provides  Canada and the world with an operational radar satellite system capable of timely delivery of large  amounts of data. Equipped with a powerful Synthetic Aperture Radar (SARI instrument, it acquires images  of the Earth day or night, in all weather and through cloud cover, smoke and haze.  RADARSAT-1 has proven to be an invaluable source of Earth observation data. The satellite's images are  used internationally to manage and monitor the Earth's resources and to monitor global climate change,  as well as in many other commercial and scientific applications. RADARSAT-1 is ideally suited to support  these tasks, thanks to its right and left looking modes, wide range of beams, SAR technology, frequent  revisit periods, high-quality products and fast, efficient delivery. In November 2005, Radarsat 1 celebrated  its 10th anniversary and is still functioning very well in orbit.  Representing a significant evolution from RADARSAT-1, RADARSAT-2 will be the first commercial SAR  satellite to offer multi-polarization - an important tool increasingly used to identify a wide variety of surface  features and targets. As prime contractor for RADARSAT-2, MDA will develop, build, integrate and launch  RADARSAT-2. Once operational, RADARSAT-2 will be wholly owned and operated by MDA.  To be launched in 2006, RADARSAT-2 will be lighter, cheaper, more capable, and will ensure data  continuity well into the new millennium. Its enhanced capabilities include additional beam modes, higher  resolutions, multi-polarization, more frequent revisits, and an increased downlink margin enabling  reception of data from lower-cost receiving antenna systems.  RADARSAT-2 will carry a C-band remote sensing radar with a ground resolution ranging from a mere 3 to  100 meters. Other key features of RADARSAT-2 include the ability to select all beam modes in both left  and right looking modes, high downlink power, secure data and telemetry, solid-state recorders, an on-  board GPS receiver and the use of a high-precision attitude control system. Fully flexible polarization  options and the ability to acquire images to the left and right of the satellite will double the accessibility  swath. The three-meter resolution data generated by RADARSAT-2 will be the highest-resolution  commercially available SAR data, offering enhanced detection of closely spaced objects, as well as  enhanced definition of other objects.  At the heart of each RADARSAT satellite, there is an advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload.  The SAR antenna is a 15-meter-long microwave instwment that sends pulsed signals to Earth and  amplifies the received reflected pulses. Its on-ground test fixture has high-resolution alignment  requirements. The design of the required Mechanical Ground Support Equipment (MGSE) is a challenge  for any mechanism engineer.  SAR Range Test Setup and Adjustment Mechanism Background  The sophisticated SAR RF system requires a high-resolution adjustment mechanism for the range test  setup. The four panels must be properly aligned to meet the stringent electrical performance requirements  and to allow for the proper installation of the expendable support structure. The basic Mechanical Ground  Support Equipment requirements for the range test are listed below:  332