An Analysis of the Potential for Using Over-The-Horizon Radar Systems for Space Surveillance by Matthew Colbert

An Analysis of the Potential for Using Over-The-Horizon Radar Systems for Space Surveillance by Matthew Colbert

The Australian Defence Force is investigating the development of a space surveillance system. While several dedicated facilities for space surveillance are in operation around the world, Australia's Over-The-Horizon Radar (OTHR) network has some potential for this role. The OTHR operates in the HF band and is constrained by the propagation effects of the ionosphere. A spherically stratified ionospheric model and a model for a nominal OTHR antenna are developed that allow calculation of path propagation, power distribution, and clutter returns. A software-based radar receiver processing system is modeled to determine detection probabilities and the minimum detectable radar cross-section of targets in typical low earth orbit (LEO) trajectories. The high clutter power levels, coupled with long target ranges and high velocities, mean that range-Doppler tradeoffs have a great impact on the resulting detection capabilities. While the system as modeled has the potential to provide some coverage for LEO targets, operational constraints mean the necessary conditions for detection of space targets would rarely be met while the system is involved in traditional OTHR tasking. Further, the long wavelengths and large antenna beams mean the accuracy of any positioning information is low.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781288331758
ISBN 10	1288331754
Title	An Analysis of the Potential for Using Over-The-Horizon Radar Systems for Space Surveillance
Author	Matthew Colbert
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Biblioscholar
Year published	2012-11-21
Number of pages	96
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.