SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission)

The SRTM mission of NASA, NIMA (National Imagery and Mapping Agency of the American Defence Department) and the German and Italian space agencies is an 11-day mission begun on 11 February 2000 whose objective is to make a three-dimensional elevation model (DEM) of the whole earth. The mission makes use of radar interferometry. Normally, two radar images are taken for this at slightly different locations in order to obtain information about altitude. Here for the first time use is being made of single-pass interferometry: the two images are acquired simultaneously, one from the shuttle itself and a second from an arm which projects out 60m.

height: 190-270 km
inclination: 71 degrees
service life: 11/2/2000 - 22/2/2000

Distributor of satellite data
U.S. Geological Survey
EROS Data Center
47914 252nd Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57198-0001
USA
Tel: + 1 605 594 6151
Fax.: + 1 605 594 6589
URL: http://edcwww.cr.usgs.gov

DLR
German Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD)
Oberpfaffenhofen
D-82234 Wessling
Germany
Tel: +49 8153 28 1343
Fax.: +49 8153 28 2802
URL: http://www.dlr.de