Shuttle radar topography mission (SRTM): experience with the X-band SAR interferometer

The X-SAR single pass SAR interferometer as part of the Shuttle radar topography mission (SRTM), its measuring principle and configuration, as well as the operation of the system during the mission in February 2000 is shortly described. The experience with the system was, that it was well designed and manufactured, it had very good monitoring capabilities and its performance was excellent and the preliminary results are very promising. The calibration activities post mission deal with the Shuttle and mast motions which as well as the phase errors due to temperature variation have to be compensated.