An Advanced Phase Synchronization Scheme for LT-1

Abstract

LuTan-1 (LT-1), i.e., TwinSAR-L, mission is an innovative spaceborne bistatic synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mission that is based on two satellites operating at L-band with flexible formation flying, which is planned to launch in 2020. The primary objective of LT-1 is to generate a highly accurate global digital elevation model (DEM). Beyond that, LT-1 will serve for the demonstration of some state-of-the-art technologies in radar field and some applications, such as biomass inversion, disaster forecasting, and climate and environmental monitoring, and phase synchronization is a technical challenge in realizing the highly accurate topography and deformation measurements. The pulsed alternate synchronization scheme, which is proposed to solve the synchronization problem of TerraSAR-X add-on for Digital Elevation Measurements (TanDEM)-X, is an efficient and accurate method. However, it interrupts the normal work of the TanDEM-X, accordingly flowing a series of problems. For LT-1, a novel synchronization scheme, in which the phase synchronization signal is exchanged by virtue of a time slot between radar signals, is applied. Thus, the working efficiency and synchronization accuracy can further be improved. Furthermore, the performance prediction and phase synchronization experiment for this synchronization scheme is presented, which verifies the feasibility of the proposed scheme. Finally, in order to guarantee the transmission quality of the synchronization signal, the illumination combinations and gain variation of the synchronization antenna in an orbital period are detailed.