Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) will lead a British project to exploit signals from GPS and GNSS navigation satellites that are reflected from the Earth for remote sensing purposes. The project will investigate a prototype instrument capable of measuring the roughness of the sea and soil moisture content, providing data for atmospheric science and for operational ocean and weather forecasting.

Signals from Global Positioning System (GPS) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) navigation satellites reflected from land, ice and ocean will be analysed by the instrument, which will fly onboard a separate small satellite. A flexible multi-channel receiver will be developed to detect the reflected GNSS signals for surface sea-state measurements. Using the new remote sensing technique, it is possible to derive important scientific data about the nature of the reflecting surface and the atmosphere, such as the sea-surface roughness or soil moisture content.

Source : http://www.sstl.co.uk