Space radar to chase suspicious ships
The first all-British radar satellite is set to go into orbit on an Indian rocket. Called NovaSAR, it has the ability to take pictures of the surface of the Earth in every kind of weather, day or night. The spacecraft will assume a number of roles but its designers specifically want to see if it can help monitor suspicious shipping activity. Luis Gomes, CTO at manufacturer Surrey Satellite Technology Limited, discussed the history of the NovaSAR project with our science correspondent Jonathan Amos.