학술논문

Uncued Detection and Initial Orbit Determination From Short Observations With the Murchison Widefield Array
Document Type
Periodical
Source
IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine IEEE Aerosp. Electron. Syst. Mag. Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine, IEEE. 36(10):16-30 Oct, 2021
Subject
Aerospace
Transportation
Space vehicles
Passive radar
Limiting
Surveillance
Receivers
Extraterrestrial measurements
Radar tracking
Language
ISSN
0885-8985
1557-959X
Abstract
This article details the latest developments in the use of the Murchison Widefield Array as a passive radar receiver for the surveillance of space. We cover methods developed to incorporate orbital parameters into matched-filter processing to achieve uncued detection without a prior track, and generate accurate detection-level initial orbit estimates. We present the results from a short collection campaign conducting broad surveillance stares, using FM transmitters as an illuminator with a significantly large bistatic baseline length of 600 km. Initial results demonstrate improved performance in the Murchison Widefield Array's detection of objects in typical low Earth orbital regimes, detecting objects with radar cross section of 1 m2 as well as the generation of accurate initial orbital estimates using very short arc detections spanning less than half a degree.