EADS astrium press release:
Friedrichshafen, 09 June 2009 – The German radar satellite TanDEM-X has been successfully completed by the space company Astrium in Friedrichshafen. The satellite has been developed in conjunction with the German Aerospace Centre (DLR).
- Testing to be undertaken in Munich - Launch from Baikonur in October
- Mapping of the Earth with innovative radar interferometer
- High-precision digital elevation model available as of 2012
Next week, the satellite, which is five metres long and weighs 1.3 tonnes, will be transported to Ottobrunn near Munich where it will undergo testing at Astrium’s and IABG’s test facilities. TamDEM-X will remain there until mid-September, where final checks will be conducted ahead of launch. It will then be transported to the Baikonur space centre (Kazakhstan) with lift-off aboard a Russian Dnepr launcher scheduled for October.
TanDEM-X will fly in tandem formation with the identical TerraSAR-X satellite for a period of two years, generating a digital elevation model of the Earth's land masses. By flying in close formation at distances of just a few kilometres to 200 metres apart, both satellites form a radar interferometer. Through this process the satellites will be able to provide radar images of unprecedented quality over the coming years.
As with the TerraSAR-X 'sister mission', the TanDEM-X project was implemented in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between Astrium GmbH and DLR. The PPP agreement provides TanDEM-X funding and data utilisation. Thus, the partners (DLR and Astrium) jointly financed the satellite to the total of approximately €85 million: €59 million was provided by DLR and €26 million by Astrium. Furthermore, DLR has developed the mission-relevant ground segment and is responsible for mission planning and implementation, as well as for the control of both satellites and the generation of the digital elevation model. Data exploitation for scientific purposes is coordinated by the DLR institute for high-frequency technology and radar systems. Infoterra GmbH (Friedrichshafen), a wholly owned subsidiary of Astrium, is exclusively responsible for commercial marketing.
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