Satellite-SAR-Systems Department

TanDEM-X DEM
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The Satellite SAR Systems department works on spaceborne SAR systems with a focus on the development, operation and calibration of SAR missions. The department works in close collaboration with the Radar Concepts department and follows and supports their mission concept development in early preparatory project phases. If a mission proposal is approved – usually at the end of phase A or B – the Satellite SAR Systems department takes over the project management and guides and directs the implementation of the mission. The experienced team assumes responsibility for system engineering on mission and ground segment levels, and closely follows the space segment and especially the SAR instrument development.

The department’s vast expertise in SAR systems and spaceborne projects was gained from the experience with three Space Shuttle missions (SIR-C/X-SAR and SRTM), with the TerraSAR-X, TanDEM-X and Tandem-L projects, with ESA’s ENVISAT and Sentinel-1 missions, and from the work on several spaceborne SAR system studies. The team is competent in SAR system engineering, overall SAR system performance analysis, in SAR calibration and algorithm development, mission planning and SAR instrument operations. In the last years, its portfolio has been extended to cover the generation of large-scale information products, such as the global TanDEM-X forest map. The DLR SAR calibration center has been developed and is being operated by the Satellite SAR Systems department.

Specialist groups

Missions Engineering

The Mission Engineering group deals with cross-mission aspects of SAR missions. This includes the design of observation scenarios, the dedicated planning of recordings, the monitoring and feedback of mission-, instrument- and processing-relevant parameters and their control and application. The group is also active in the project management of the missions.

Systems Engineering

This group is responsible for the development and the operation of ground segment systems relevant to SAR sensors on satellite platforms. One particular task is the management of the sub-project System Engineering and Calibration (SEC) that comprises the Institute’s contributions to the TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X ground segment. The understanding of SAR system concepts and the knowledge obtained during the development of the SAR instrument is essential for a successful radar mission and ensures maximum exploitation of the sensor capabilities. In addition to this expertise, the group has in-depth experience in systems engineering on mission and ground segment levels.

Radar Science

Spaceborne synthetic aperture radar systems continuously evolve because of technological progress and increasing user demands. The System Performance Group covers an end-to-end SAR expertise from system design and development to in-orbit operation, verifying the performance of the delivered SAR data products. Our asset is the combined system knowledge of SAR theory, simulation, and analysis, based on over ten years of experience from on-going satellite missions. Major activities and projects are shown in the following.

Calibration

The main task of the calibration group is the development of concepts and methods for the calibration and verification of imaging radar systems - an important area of research at the institute for more than 25 years. Based on these many years of experience, the group has developed and established a service facility - the German SAR Calibration Centre. In addition to various analysis and evaluation tools, accurate reference targets are developed and the DLR calibration field is operated and maintained to support international SAR missions.

TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X Mission Manager

The Mission Manager is responsible for providing data products to both the scientific and commercial customers in order to ensure the achievement of the TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X mission objectives. He coordinates the utilization of the mission in accordance with the regulations agreed with Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, also taking into account legal boundary conditions. The tasks cover the monitoring and coordination of the complete satellite activities including the operation of the SAR instruments and the interfaces to the secondary payloads. In case of anomalies or contingencies, the Mission Manager has to approve actions that go beyond the nominal satellite operation. He tracks the implementation of Advisory Board decisions in the Ground Segment and monitors the integration of changes and the configuration of the Ground Segment. The Mission Manager reports regularly to the Advisory Board, to the TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X project manager of DLR Space Research and Technology as well as the DLR Space Administration.

Contacts

Dr.-Ing. Manfred Zink

Head of Department Satellite SAR Systems
Microwaves and Radar Institute
Satellite SAR Systems
Muenchener Strasse 20, 82234 Wessling
Germany