A Concept for an Advanced Reflector-Based

Space Surveillance Radar

A. Patyuchenko, M. Younis, G. Krieger, M. Weigel
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
European Space Surveillance Conference
07-09 June, 2011
Madrid, Spain
Slide 2
Outline
Introduction
Conventional Radar for Space Debris Detection
Concept of the Reflector-Based DBF Radar System
Aspects of the Improved DBF Radar Performance
Prototype Development
Conclusion
Slide 3
Outline
Introduction
Conventional Radar for Space Debris Detection
Concept of the Reflector-Based DBF Radar System
Aspects of the Improved DBF Radar Performance
Prototype Development
Conclusion
Slide 4
Space Debris Environment
Space debris orbital man-made space junk is a many-sided problem becoming more
and more critical nowadays.
Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
debris population
SSA has to guarantee the safe and stable space environment.
Reliable and operationally flexible source of information for SSA are required.
Technical requirements for the measurement systems are becoming more stringent.
Slide 5
Detection of Space Debris
Various ground based radar systems are used to detect space debris at LEO:
Reflector systems are chosen for their high directivity and a low side lobe level.
Classical radar measuring systems have limitations of physical and technical nature.
In particular, reflector systems performance is limited in terms of a mechanical
steering of an antenna and a search volume.
HAX, US
MU Radar, Japan
TIRA, Germany
TRADEX, US
Slide 6
Outline
Introduction
Conventional Radar for Space Debris Detection
Concept of the Reflector-Based DBF Radar System
Aspects of the Improved DBF Radar Performance
Prototype Development
Conclusion
Slide 7
Earth rotation
Operational Modes I
Antenna elevation angle is fixed.
Volume density of space objects is observed
as the Earth rotates.
Information on non-cataloged objects is
obtained:
Objects size
Orbit data
Observation methods are translated into two main operational modes:
Beam-Park Mode and Tracking Mode
Beam-Park Mode
Data precision is poor.
Slide 8
Operational Modes II
Antenna pointing direction follows a target.
Target directed observation is performed.
Accurate information on cataloged
objects is obtained:
Tracking Mode
Object characteristics
and orbit data
Initial orbit data are required.
Slide 9
Elevation view
Azimuth view
1
c
L
p

1
c
L
p

Performance Aspects: Capture Probability

Geometrical representation of the tracking operational mode:

- Cross-Track Orbit Uncertainty

Probability of a target capture depends on the HPBW of the antenna and a slant
range to the target and thus, it is proportional to the observation volume.
Slide 10
Performance Aspects: Antenna Elevation Angle Impact
Peak transmit power = P1
Peak transmit power = P2
P1 > P2
Antenna elevation angle [deg.]
Increase of the antenna elevation angle leads to:
- decrease of the beam spatial extension => capture probability decreases;
- decrease of the free space attenuation => detection probability increases.
L-Band
S-Band
X-Band
Ku-Band
Orbit height: 1000 km
Slide 11
Performance Aspects: Operational Frequency Impact
Capture probability is directly proportional to the HPBW.
Detection probability is directly proportional to the gain.
G2
G1

3dB
2

3dB
1
G1 < G2

3dB
1
>
3dB
2
L-Band
X-Band
0
3dB
c
Df

u =
2
0
Df
G
c
t
o
| |
=
|
\ .

D
- antenna shape and illumination parameter
- antenna diameter
f - frequency
o - net efficiency
HPBW and gain are inversely dependent in terms of frequency.
Slide 12
Conventional System Performance
3200
Sphere
(10 cm diameter)
30m/L
30m/S
30m/X
Target is orbiting the Erath at 1000 km height.
The slant range of 3200 km is equivalent to the 5 antenna elevation angle for the
considered system
1/ 4
2 2
max 3
min
(4 )
t
s
G P
R
kT L SNR
t o
t
| |
=
|

\ .
Maximum detection range:
G
t
o

t
P
s
T
L
- pulse length
- gain
- RCS
- wavelength
- Tx peak power
- loss factor
- system noise temp.
min
11dB SNR =
0.99
d
p =
0.01
fa
p =
The largest maximum detection range is achieved at X-Band.
Cross-track beam extension at 1000 km distance:
X-Band: 0.96 km, S-Band: 5.3 km, L-Band: 9.38 km.
X-Band system allows the lowest probability of capture.
Slide 13
Outline
Introduction
Conventional Radar for Space Debris Detection
Concept of the Reflector-Based DBF Radar System
Aspects of the Improved DBF Radar Performance
Prototype Development
Conclusion
Slide 14
Reflector Based DBF Radar Structure
The concept originates from the spaceborne system [1].
Multiple independent digital channels with ADCs.
Application of innovative DBF techniques.
Reflector antenna: high directivity and a low side lobe level.
[1] G. Krieger, el al., Advanced concepts for ultra-wide swath SAR imaging, in Proceedings of the 7th European
Conference on Synthetic Aperture Radar (EUSAR 08), Friedrichshafen, Germany, June 2008.
Feed System
Slide 15
1 2
1

I
n
d
i
c
e
s

o
f

t
h
e

f
e
e
d

e
l
e
m
e
n
t
s
1

1
2
Wide Tx low-gain beam illuminates the volume in space.
Narrow Rx high-gain beams follow targets digitally by combining weighted data from
signal channels.
Reflector Based DBF SAR Operation
Slide 16
Outline
Introduction
Conventional Radar for Space Debris Detection
Concept of the Reflector-Based DBF Radar System
Aspects of the Improved DBF Radar Performance
Prototype Development
Conclusion
Slide 17
Relaxed Requirements for Mechanical Steering
=16
Tx
Rx
16

The corresponding classical radar has a HPBW of 0.36 only and thus needs to be
mechanically steered in the tracking mode.
The DBF system requires no mechanical steering over the angular range of 16
(example) and can perform tracking digitally.
L-Band system using 30 m reflector dish and 34 digital channels:
Slide 18
Advanced Operational Modes
Multiple independent digital channels:
Advanced operational modes are possible:
- Track While Scan mode with enhanced efficiency.
- Effective tracking of several targets over a large angular range.
The measurement time can be considerably reduced.
Catalogued and non-catalogued objects: simultaneous capability.
Slide 19
Improved Capture Probability I
X-Band DBF Radar
30 m
48 channels
Cross-track beam extension at 1000 km is larger by a factor of 45 compared to the
classical X-Band radar.
However the detection probability and thus the maximum detection range is lower
for the DBF Radar due to the decreased gain on transmit.
0.08
3.5
Conventional system
Slide 20
Improved Capture Probability II
The detection probability can be improved by increasing transmit power, using multiple
PAs or by means of sequential switching of channels:
1 2 3
2
1
2
max
( )
t
average
t
P P u t dt

- pulse train waveform ( ) u t
t
av
P
receive window
P
1
t
2
t
P
t
max
P
receive window
Slide 21
Outline
Introduction
Conventional Radar for Space Debris Detection
Concept of the Reflector-Based DBF Radar System
Aspects of the Improved DBF Radar Performance
Prototype Development
Conclusion
Slide 22
Prototype Development
1 personal computer, 2 data storage device, 3 analog-to-digital
converters with an embedded PC, 4 analog signal generator, 5 arbitrary
waveform generator, 6 coupler, 7 reflector antenna.
Multichannel DBF Radar Demonstrator based on the cPCI architecture.
Development and test of the advanced operational modes.
Slide 23
Outline
Introduction
Conventional Radar for Space Debris Detection
Concept of the Reflector-Based DBF Radar System
Aspects of the Improved DBF Radar Performance
Conclusion
Slide 24
The new concept allows better performance in terms of a search area and has
relaxed requirements imposed on the mechanical steering of the antenna.
Advanced operational Track While Scan mode with efficient tracking of several
targets simultaneously is possible.
DBF radar system allows high detection probability and large search volume
at higher frequencies.
The prototype system is under development.
The suggested concept has a high operational flexibility and an improved
performance. It opens a wide range of problems which must be further
considered and solved.
Conclusion
Slide 25
Thank you!