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Characteristics

High degree of innovativeness (technology and methodology)

• Every 8 days Tandem-L delivers an updated map of the global land masses with high resolution using novel digital-beamforming technologies.
• Tandem-L exceeds the imaging performance of all existing SAR satellites by more than a factor of 10 and thus extends the lead in development for at least 7 years.
• For the first time it will be possible to globally estimate the vertical structure of vegetation and ice using polarimetric SAR interferometry and tomography, which has been developed in Germany.
• Tandem-L paves the way for a unique earth observation system for continuous monitoring of the earth and environment, comparable to the network of weather satellites.

Scientific excellence

• It will be possible for the first time to simultaneously measure 7 essential climate parameters in the frame of one satellite mission.
• Tandem-L is the worldwide first mission for systematic high-resolution monitoring of dynamic processes in the bio-, geo-, cryo- and hydrosphere, respectively.
• Tandem-L will help Germany to gain the leading role in global earth system, climate and environmental research.
• 8 Helmholtz centers and numerous associated facilities already participate in an alliance (under the lead of the HGF) in preparation for a comprehensive and systematic utilisation of Tandem-L data.
• More than 60 Research Institutes have already become members to the science team and show high interest in the utilisation of Tandem-L data.
• Tandem-L yields a unique potential for the increasingly important environmental monitoring. One example is the program REDD+ for the protection of forests.