Session
Technical Session V: Operations and Mission Planning
Abstract
The Space-Based Tethered Array Radar (STAR) concept evolved from the DoD need for an affordable, launchable, survivable, and expandable Space-Based Radar for wide-area surveillance of airborne targets and for ballistic missile defense applications. Because low-observable threats can undermine conventional large monolithic Space-Based Radar satellite designs by forcing power-aperture products (inversely proportional to target radar cross-section) so high that the resulting heavy and expensive satellite could not be built or launched, innovative solutions are needed. One such solution is the use of a tether concept which derives strength and stability by tension rather than stiffness and bulk. The tether concept avoids rigid structures by embracing the premise of a Distributed Sparse Array Radar (DSAR) which coherently nets small satellite subarrays which are not physically interconnected. The STAR concept is a network of distributed small satellite subarrays each of which is a tethered set of elements or a "string". Each "string" is a vertical linear array orbiting independently and made up of dipole array elements each with its own transmit/receive module and power source. In order to operate as a Distributed Sparse Array Radar, the relative locations of individual small satellite subarrays must be known to small fractions of a wavelength. In this paper after a brief discussion of SBR architecture, selected methods for cohering the Sparse Array, and for signal distribution, and signal combination are presented. Finally, an example design of a space based DSAR using tethers is described along with a communication scenario.
Space-Based Tethered Array Radar (STAR) - A Distributed Small Satellite Network
The Space-Based Tethered Array Radar (STAR) concept evolved from the DoD need for an affordable, launchable, survivable, and expandable Space-Based Radar for wide-area surveillance of airborne targets and for ballistic missile defense applications. Because low-observable threats can undermine conventional large monolithic Space-Based Radar satellite designs by forcing power-aperture products (inversely proportional to target radar cross-section) so high that the resulting heavy and expensive satellite could not be built or launched, innovative solutions are needed. One such solution is the use of a tether concept which derives strength and stability by tension rather than stiffness and bulk. The tether concept avoids rigid structures by embracing the premise of a Distributed Sparse Array Radar (DSAR) which coherently nets small satellite subarrays which are not physically interconnected. The STAR concept is a network of distributed small satellite subarrays each of which is a tethered set of elements or a "string". Each "string" is a vertical linear array orbiting independently and made up of dipole array elements each with its own transmit/receive module and power source. In order to operate as a Distributed Sparse Array Radar, the relative locations of individual small satellite subarrays must be known to small fractions of a wavelength. In this paper after a brief discussion of SBR architecture, selected methods for cohering the Sparse Array, and for signal distribution, and signal combination are presented. Finally, an example design of a space based DSAR using tethers is described along with a communication scenario.
