The Calibration of the TerraSAR-X System

Conference: EUSAR 2006 - 6th European Conference on Synthetic Aperture Radar
05/16/2006 - 05/18/2006 at Dresden, Germany

Proceedings: EUSAR 2006

Pages: 4Language: englishTyp: PDF

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Authors:
Schwerdt, Marco; Bräutigam, Benjamin; Bachmann, Markus; Molkenthin, Thomas; Hounam, David; Zink, Manfred (German Aerospace Center (DLR), Microwaves and Radar Institute, Oberpfaffenhofen, D-82234 Wessling, Germany)

Abstract:
As TerraSAR-X, due for launch in 2006, will be an operational scientific mission with commercial potential, product quality is of paramount importance. The success or failure of the mission is essentially dependent on the calibration of TerraSAR-X system ensuring the product quality and the correct in-orbit operation of the entire SAR system from data take instrument command generation to ground processing. TerraSAR-X is a high-resolution X-Band SAR satellite with a multitude of operation modes. Due to the high degree of flexibility and the tight performance requirements, the calibration of TerraSAR-X is a major challenge and new concepts are designed to keep the costs affordable. The paper provides an overview of the Calibration Section as part of the TerraSAR-X Ground Segment.