Abstract
Currently, space debris represents a threat for satellites and space-based operations, both in-orbit and during the launching process. The yearly increase in space debris represents a serious concern to major space agencies leading to the development of dedicated space programs to deal with this issue. Ground-based radars can detect Earth orbiting debris down to a few square centimeters and therefore constitute a major building block of a space debris monitoring system. New radar sensors are required in Europe to enhance capabilities and availability of its small radar network capable of tracking and surveying space objects and to respond to the debris increase expected from the New Space economy activities. This article presents ATLAS, a new tracking radar system for debris detection located in Portugal. It starts by an extensive technical description of all the system components followed by a study that estimates its future performance. A section dedicated to waveform design is also presented, since the system allows the usage of several types of pulse modulation schemes such as LFM and phase coded modulations while enabling the development and testing of more advanced ones. By presenting an architecture that is highly modular with fully digital signal processing, ATLAS establishes a platform for fast and easy development, research, and innovation. The system follows the use of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf technologies and Open Systems which is unique among current radar systems.
Highlights
This paper describes the development of the first Portuguese tracking sensor for space debris and is organized as follows: Section 1 explains the necessity of monitoring the space environment and how nations worldwide have tackled this problem throughout the years
Objects with an radar cross section (RCS) below the minimum detectable threshold; Orbits with an elevation range below the minimum elevation required for detection and data acquisition; Orbital speeds exceeding the maximum antenna tracking speed; In order to make an estimate on the number of objects trackable by ATLAS, we retrieved the latest two-line element (TLE) files from all the objects categorized as debris with an apogee less than 1000 km from the Space-Track public catalogue [36]
We started by doing a review on the current tracking radar systems deployed around the world as well as the networks responsible for Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) tasks (Section 1)
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The first developments of tracking radars date back from World War II [5], but their biggest developments date from the Cold-War [6] During those times, both the USA and the Soviet Union built large networks of ground-based tracking facilities that collected data on man-made objects in Earth orbit. The French space surveillance network comprises a set of three tracking radars named SATAM, in three different locations (one of it with deployable capability) This configuration is not primarily dedicated to space surveillance, but is used for space events, detection of risk collision and atmospheric reentries, its speed (about 40o/s) being an incomparable added-value, notwithstanding the lower dimension of the dishes, compared with the previous ones.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
