TerraSAR-X: Germany’s radar satellite stops over at IABG’s space centre

TerraSAR-X is a new generation high-resolution radar satellite which operates in X-band (9.65 GHz). The satellite, which measures over five meters high and weighs over a ton, will circle the earth at an altitude of 514 kilometres on a polar orbit and with its active antenna will receive new and sophisticated X-band radar data from across the entire globe. TerraSAR-X operates regardless of weather conditions, cloud cover and light and will be capable of supplying radar data with a resolution of up to one meter.

TerraSAR-X is the first German satellite realised as part of a so-called Public Private Partnership (PPP) between the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and Astrium: Europe’s satellite specialist Astrium is contributing to the costs for development, construction and deployment of the satellites. The scientific use of TerraSAR-X data is the responsibility of the German Aerospace Centre while Infoterra GmbH, a subsidiary of Astrium, is responsible for commercial distribution.

If everything goes according to plan, the first high-resolution radar data are expected to be available as early as December 2006. Scientists and commercial customers around the world are already impatiently awaiting the data. The precondition is that the satellite passes all the agreed qualification tests. It has already passed the vibration and pyroshock tests as well as the <link internal-link internen link im aktuellen>measurement of mass characteristics. <link internal-link internen link im aktuellen>Space simulation and <link internal-link internen link im aktuellen>EMC measurements are now on the agenda for August. The acoustic test will be the final test and is planned for September. With the qualification of TerraSAR-X, IABG is continuing its successful collaboration with Astrium in the field of earth observation and scientific satellites.