Abstract
Abstract. TanDEM-X (TerraSAR-X add-on for Digital Elevation Measurements) is an innovative formation flying radar mission that opens a new era in spaceborne radar remote sensing. Its primary objective is the acquisition of a global Digital Elevation Model (DEM) with unprecedented accuracy (12 m horizontal resolution and 2 m relative height accuracy). This goal is achieved by extending the TerraSAR-X synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mission by a second TerraSAR-X like satellite, TanDEM-X (TDX). Both satellites fly in close orbit formation of a few hundred meters distance, and the resulting large single-pass SAR interferometer features flexible baseline selection enabling the acquisition of highly accurate cross-track interferograms not impacted by temporal decorrelation and atmospheric disturbances. Beyond the global DEM, several secondary mission objectives based on along-track interferometry as well as new bistatic and multistatic SAR techniques have been defined. Since 2010 both satellites have been operated in close formation to map all land surfaces at least twice and difficult terrain even up to four times. While data acquisition for the DEM generation will be concluded by the end of 2014 it is expected to complete the processing of the global DEM in the second half of 2016.
Highlights
TanDEM-X (TerraSAR-X add-on for Digital Elevation Measurements) is an innovative formation flying radar mission that opens a new era in spaceborne radar remote sensing
The mission concept is based on the two Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X flying in close formation operating as the first bistatic synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometer in space (Krieger et al, 2007)
The TanDEM-X mission opens a new era in spaceborne radar remote sensing
Summary
Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are of fundamental importance for a wide range of scientific and commercial applications. Beyond the generation of the global TanDEM-X DEM, local DEMs of even higher accuracy levels and applications based on along-track interferometry (ATI) like measurements of ocean currents are important secondary mission objectives. After completing the acquisitions for the global DEM even larger baselines can be adjusted in a dedicated science phase. This enables higher accuracy DEMs on local scales and the demonstration of new scientific applications
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