The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) is a research effort that obtained elevation data on a near-global scale from 60 °S to 60 °N, to generate the most complete high-resolution digital topographic database of Earth to date. SRTM consisted of a specially modified radar system that flew onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour during the 11-day STS-99 mission in February of 2000. To acquire topographic (elevation) data, the SRTM payload was outfitted with two radar antennas. One antenna was located in the Shuttle's payload bay, the other on the end of a 60-meter (200-foot) mast that extended from the payload bay once the Shuttle was in space. The technique employed is known as interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar. The elevation model derived from the SRTM data is used in Geographic Information Systems.

The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission is an international project spearheaded by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

See also

• NASA World Wind
• Virtual Earth
• Google Earth

External links

• Official NASA SRTM site
• FTP site with SRTM data tiles
• Worldwide shaded Topography based on SRTM

Geographic Information Systems | NASA

SRTM | SRTM-Daten | Shuttle Radar Topography Mission | Shuttle Radar Topography Mission | Shuttle Radar Topography Mission