A 3D Earth map, a step nearer

The TanDEM-X, whose mission aims to generate a global Digital 3D Elevation Model (DEM) of unprecedented quality, accuracy and coverage of the Earth has today mapped the entire land surface of our planet, after a year recovering information. It has done it with the help of another elder twin satellite named TerraSAR-X. Both satellites are controlled by the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) and this center also runs the mission of treating the data to create the desired map.

Both satellites have recorded Earth from different angles and sent radar data from their orbit at an altitude of 514 kilometres down to the three ground stations – Kiruna (Sweden), Inuvik (Canada) and O'Higgins (Antarctica).

"The mission is running better than expected and there have been no unscheduled interruptions in the programmed formation flight of the two satellites. All safety mechanisms are functioning robustly and in a stable manner," enthuses Manfred Zink, project manager for the TanDEM-X ground segment at DLR.

The use of the data is incredibly wide Firstly, it will be commercially distributed but science will also profit of it. For example, new quality Digital Elevation Models (e.g. for hydrology), along-track interferometry (e.g. measurement of ocean currents) and new bi-static applications (e.g. polarimetric SAR interferometry) will be done.

TanDEM-X is being realized in the framework of a public-private partnership between the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and EADS Astrium GmbH.

Via: DLR Presse Portal

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