EO·Atlas
TanDEM-X SAR
Compiled from public sources on 2026-05-28. Not independently verified by Airbus Defence and Space.
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X-band synthetic aperture radar imager flown on TanDEM-X, paired with TerraSAR-X for interferometry and distributed commercially through Airbus's Radar Constellation services.
TanDEM-X SAR is an X-band synthetic aperture radar imager carried on the TanDEM-X satellite, developed by DLR and built by Airbus Defence and Space. TanDEM-X was designed to fly in close formation with TerraSAR-X to enable bistatic interferometry, most notably the generation of the WorldDEM global digital elevation model. Airbus commercialises TanDEM-X imagery in constellation with TerraSAR-X under its Radar Constellation services.[1][2]
The instrument operates at 9.65 GHz with chirp bandwidth up to 300 MHz and a 5 m antenna. Full polarimetric combinations are available: HH, VV, HV, and VH. The satellite orbits at approximately 514 km altitude with an 11-day repeat cycle.[1]
TanDEM-X SAR supports five imaging modes:[1]
| Mode | Swath width | Polarisation notes |
|---|---|---|
| Staring Spotlight | 10 km | single or dual; Dual-Receive Antenna mode available |
| Sliding Spotlight | 10 km | single or dual |
| StripMap | 30 km | single, dual, or bistatic DEM |
| ScanSAR | 100 km | single or dual |
| Bistatic StripMap (DEM) | 30 km | formation flight with TerraSAR-X |
Demonstrated applications include InSAR surface deformation monitoring and SAR backscatter change detection. The polarimetric capability supports polarimetric SAR decomposition workflows.[1]
- [1]TanDEM-X: The Earth in Three Dimensions, DLR brochure 2023agency doc2026-05-28
- [2]TerraSAR-X mission overview including TanDEM-X relationship, DLRagency doc2026-05-28