Space Surveillance with Correlation based Radar
Abstract
The purpose of this project is to develop, analyze, simulate and do a feasibility study of correlation-based radar for tracking and imaging fast moving objects in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). In the proposed tracking and imaging modality, illumination is ground-based, distributed and asynchronous, while the receivers are mounted on sparsely deployed drones at an altitude to minimize atmospheric effects. The feasibility study is in the X-band, with an important feature being the required accuracy of the recorded signals and their synchronization. The coherent cross correlations of these recorded signals are used for tracking and imaging with a theoretically predicted resolution in the wavelength range (3 cm). The theory also shows how atmospheric inhomogeneity effects are controlled by correlation-based imaging when the receivers (but not the illuminating sources) are at an altitude, roughly above the tropopause. The number of receivers needed is also addressed theoretically but signal-to-noise ratio issues will be addressed in this project as will be some different ways in which the cross correlations can be used so as to enhance received signal strength without reducing resolution. The key features of the proposed space surveillance modality are relatively inexpensive ground-based illumination (distributed, asynchronous), drone-based receivers that have some advanced technological requirements, and an effective and model-free way to minimize effects of inhomogeneities by using cross correlations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 24, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1230292
Entities
People
- George Papanicolaou
Organizations
- Stanford University