TanDEM-X Long-Term System Performance After 10 Years of Operation

The TanDEM-X mission, formed by the satellite in cooperation with its almost identical twin TerraSAR-X (TSX), has mainly been designed to acquire bistatic synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images of Earth. Initiated 2010, primary mission objectives were generate a global digital elevation model (DEM) perform scientific measurements and explore novel SAR techniques. Up present day, all these have completed outstanding results. In addition, satellites maintained stable image quality from start throughout their entire lifetime. ground segment, which was tailored capabilities space as well an excellent design manufacturing key elements achieve such performance. elaborate calibration concept careful treatment on-board resources enabled full operability up day allowed additional generation Change-DEM layer update DEM. bus payload performance revealed long-term system monitoring provide basis for further extension several more years. following paper, results are presented overview evolution system. experience gained than decade operation great value both commercial community serve forerunner development future missions.