Imaging spectroscopy, also known as hyperspectral remote sensing, is based on the characterization of Earth surface materials and processes through spectrally-resolved measurements of the light interacting with matter. The potential of imaging spectroscopy for Earth remote sensing has been demonstrated since the 1980s. However, most of the developments and applications in imaging spectroscopy have largely relied on airborne spectrometers, as the amount and quality of space-based imaging spectroscopy data remain relatively low to date. The upcoming Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program (EnMAP) German imaging spectroscopy mission is intended to fill this gap. An overview of the main characteristics and current status of the mission is provided in this contribution. The core payload of EnMAP consists of a dual-spectrometer instrument measuring in the optical spectral range between 420 and 2450 nm with a spectral sampling distance varying between 5 and 12 nm and a reference signal-to-noise ratio of 400:1 in the visible and near-infrared and 180:1 in the shortwave-infrared parts of the spectrum. EnMAP images will cover a 30 km-wide area in the across-track direction with a ground sampling distance of 30 m. An across-track tilted observation capability will enable a target revisit time of up to four days at the Equator and better at high latitudes. EnMAP will contribute to the development and exploitation of spaceborne imaging spectroscopy applications by making high-quality data freely available to scientific users worldwide.

The TanDEM-X mission will derive a global digital elevation model (DEM) with satellite SAR interferometry. Height references play an important role to ensure the required height accuracy of 10m absolute and 2m relative for 90% of the data. In this paper the main height reference data sets ICESat (for DEM calibration), SRTM (for phase unwrapping) and kinematic GPS-Tracks (KGPS -for DEM verification) are analyzed regarding to their accuracy. For the ICESat data a reliable quality measure is developed. For SRTM an improved version adjusted to reliable ICESat data is presented and a concept for collecting and evaluating decimeter-precise kinematic GPS tracks is proposed.

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The ground segment for the future remote sensing mission Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program (EnMAP; www.enmap.org) is developed by the Earth Observation Center and the German Space Operations Center at the German Aerospace Center. The launch is scheduled for 2017. An operational satellite ground segment is a highly complex heterogeneous system which has to cope with different levels of criticality, novelty, specificity, and to be operated for many years. It consists of equipment, hard-and software as well as operators with their procedures. The strengths of the global coherence of the segment-wide approach bringing these aspects together is examined and not on the local details of segment-specific issues. However, the effects on two software-based elements of the ground segment are considered in more detail, namely the product library and the level 2geo processor. The development methodology and how the critical design of the complete ground segment finished its detailed design phase successfully was achieved is analyzed. As a measure of the maturity of the design, its stability across the project phases is proposed.

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