Spaceborne gnss forward scattering radar for space debris detection

• Main Author: Yap, Jian Beng
• Other Authors: Erry Gunawan
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/70611
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The problem of space debris is a serious one that requires urgent addressing to avoid losing free access of space. Current planned active debris removal (ADR) systems mostly utilize small satellites with highly limited power budgets. A passive forward scatter radar system using GPS signals as illumination source offers a low cost, low power solution to detecting debris. The high availability of GPS signals and radar cross section (RCS) enhancement in the forward scatter direction make the system particularly attractive for global detection of small debris. This project examined the forward scatter behaviour of objects in the Mie region (size comparable to wavelength). Based on features such as Doppler profile and polarisation distortion, a FSR detection scheme with the ability to determine target range based on Doppler-derived velocity was proposed.