Calibration of the TerraSAR-X and the TanDEM-X satellite for the TerraSAR-X mission

In addition to the first satellite TerraSAR-X (TSX) already in-flight since 2007 [1], the second satellite TanDEM-X (TDX) could be successfully launched in 2010 [2]. The primary object of the TanDEM-X mission is to generate a highly accurate digital elevation model (DEM) with never achieved accuracy on global scale. But in addition to this DEM acquisition based on a bistatic satellite constellation of TSX and TDX, nominal TerraSAR-X operation shall be available anymore, i.e. both satellites TSX and the TDX have to enable both missions in parallel: the monostatic TerraSAR X and the bistatic TanDEM X mission. Consequently the second satellite TDX had to achieve the same accuracy and performance as those of the first satellite TSX. Based on a short overview of the different calibration tasks the paper discusses the calibration results of both satellites achieved in 2010.