TerraSAR-X is the first remote sensing satellite developed and built within a public private partnership, consisting of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and EADS Astrium GmbH. The satellite was launched on 15th June 2007 from Baikonur.
The main payload is a high frequency X-band (9.65 GHz) SAR-antenna, which can be operated in different polarisations and several resolutions (SpotLight, StripMap, ScanSAR modes). TerraSAR-X generates weather and day/night independent radar images with a resolution of up to 1 m. Furthermore, TerraSAR-X’s interferometric radar data can be used to compute digital altitude models of the ground surface or to detect moving ground objects, see DLR.
The CFRP waveguides developed and produced by Invent GmbH in cooperation with EADS Astrium GmbH are one of the SAR-antennas main components. These two types of hollow profiles have a rectangular shape (9 x 11 and 20 x 20 mm) with a wall thickness of 0.4 mm and a length of 400 mm. The smaller waveguide also features an integrated CFRP ridge.
The excellent surface finish on the in- and outside of the waveguide and its accurate dimensions (± 4/100 mm) proved to be a challenge in the manufacturing process. In the end it was possible to apply a modified RTM-process to build the waveguides. Here, the used materials and parameters were optimally adapted to the following processing steps.
Delivery of all the required waveguides for the flight and several test models of TerraSAR-X (approx. 500 parts of each type) was achieved by the end of 2004. Moreover Invent GmbH manufactured all waveguides for Tandem-X, TerraSAR-X’s twin satellite that is intended to be launched in 2009.
Invent received a special award for its outstanding development work within the TerraSAR-X project from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and EADS Astrium GmbH. |
TerraSAR-X 
TerraSAR-X 
Example: TerraSAR-X
