This paper presents results of the analysis of the backscattered signal characteristics at 13.9 GHz., obtained from the Geos 3 radar altimeter. The characteristics discussed include spatial resolution, altimetric accuracy, radar cross section, and signal fluctuation statistics. Spatial resolution is found to be largely a function of the radar cross-section angular decay process rather than systems response behavior for either pulselength or beamwidth limited operation. The magnitude and angular response characteristics of the radar cross-section values were found to differ substantially from previously published aircraft measurements.