Multibistatic Radar for Space Surveillance and Tracking

The ever increasingly resident space object density poses a challenge for current and future space missions and assets. Space debris in low Earth orbit (LEO) are of particular interest because they are present in the highest concentration with respect to the other orbits. Radio frequency systems, and particularly radar, prove to be suitable answers to the need of observing space object, especially at LEO. The reasons behind this statement are in the ability of RF sensors to operate independently of illumination and weather conditions. Radio telescopes are present in a relatively large number and are widely used for space observation. They have large antenna gain and highly sensitive receivers, which make them act as perfect receivers for bistatic radar systems. This article will present the architecture, system, and signal processing aspects related to a radar/telescope RF system for space surveillance and tracking applications.