TerraSAR-X Staring Spotlight Processing and Products

Since 2008 the TerraSAR-X Mission, which is currently executed by the two spacecrafts TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X, operationally provides the scientific and commercial user community with a large variety of SAR products ranging from 1m resolution Sliding Spotlight to 18m resolution ScanSAR images. In 2013 the product portfolio has been extended at both edges, on the on hand by a new 6 beam 40m resolution ScanSAR mode and on the other by the new Staring Spotlight (ST) mode achieving an azimuth resolution below 24 cm [7]. In order to provide these new SAR products on an operational basis, the internal workflows and the focusing algorithm of the TerraSAR-X Multi-Mode SAR Processor (TMSP) have been extended. Especially the accuracy requirements of the new ST mode were not completely compatible with the original algorithmic concept, which has been designed and optimized for 1m resolution. This paper presents the modifications of the TMSP algorithm for very high resolution focusing, the product generation concept and characteristics of the new ST mode SAR products.