TanDEM-X mission status: The new topography of the earth takes shape

TanDEM-X (TerraSAR-X add-on for Digital Elevation Measurement) opens a new era in spaceborne radar remote sensing [1]-[5]. A single-pass SAR interferometer with adjustable baselines in across- and in along-track directions was formed by adding a second spacecraft (TDX), almost identical to TerraSAR-X (TSX), and flying the two satellites in a closely controlled formation. With typical across-track baselines of 150 to 500 m a global Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is being generated. To reach this level of DEM quality, all land surfaces have to be mapped at least twice, difficult mountainous terrain requires additional coverage. While data acquisition will be finished by the end of 2014, the processing to the global TanDEM-X DEM is expected to last until the end of 2015. Currently, final DEMs for most of Australia, larger parts of North America, Siberia and South Africa are already available.