Extending the TerraSAR-X Flight Dynamics System for TanDEM-X

Kurzfassung

This paper describes the current operational TerraSAR-X (TSX) flight dynamics system (FDS) and depicts its extensions needed to fulfil the requirements for TanDEM-X, which shall form a close formation with TSX. Operational constraints imposed by the instrument operation and the ground station network are explained and the impact on the FD operations concept is discussed. The paper specifically elaborates on the pre-launch qualification of the formation control function, which has been performed in a nine months simulation to verify the safe and robust maintenance of the satellite formation.