TerraSAR-X performance confirmed by US NGA

12 March 2009, 3:02am

Baltimore, MD (USA) / Friedrichshafen (Germany), March 12, 2009 - The superb accuracy defined in the TerraSAR-X data product specifications has now been confirmed by the Civil and Commercial Applications Project (CCAP) Group within the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA): The group
published the results of their geolocation accuracy evaluation of TerraSAR-X radar
satellite imagery during the ASPRS Annual Conference in Baltimore this week.

In a contribution titled "Geometric Precision in Space Radar Imaging: Results from
TerraSAR-X", Thomas P. Ager, NGA System Engineer for Radar, and his co-author
Paul Bresnahan of Observera Inc. describe the evaluation processes and parameters applied to 13 high-resolution SpotLight and another 13 StripMap acquisitions. These were collected in single-polarization (VV) mode, generated as
Multi-look Ground-range Detected (MGD) products with Spatially-Enhanced (SE)
processing, and included the rapid orbit metadata.

Ager confirms that "the results of this evaluation are consistent with the accuracy
values listed in the product specification", and even adds that "it is plausible that the
TerraSAR-X accuracy is even better".

Orbit errors are as small as 20 centimeters for routine images available within 1 day
of collection, and range errors of well under 1 meter are verified: "We believe these
claims because our test results show that TerraSAR-X SpotLight imagery has an overall ground accuracy of 1 meter and possibly even less, when projected to known
elevations," states Ager.

NGA's CCAP regularly performs geolocation accuracy evaluations for civil and
commercial imagery being purchased or considered for purchase by the Agency.
To Infoterra, holder of the exclusive commercial exploitation rights for TerraSAR-X
data and provider of numerous services based on this data, "the independent confirmation of the spacecraft's performance by such a renowned institution is of course of immense value," states Joerg Herrmann, Managing Director of the German EADS Astrium subsidiary. "This endorsement will surely support our growing sales activities in the North American market."

Infoterra

Geo: International