FEKO™ Simulation of Radar Scattering from Objects in Low Earth Orbit for ISAR Imaging

Authors

  • Aaron Brandewie The Ohio State University ElectroScience Lab Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering Columbus, OH, U. S. A.
  • Robert J. Burkholder The Ohio State University ElectroScience Lab Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering Columbus, OH, U. S. A.

Keywords:

electromagnetic scattering, inverse synthetic aperture radar, physical optics, radar imaging

Abstract

Objects in low earth orbit such as CubeSats and the International Space Station (ISS) move with constant velocity along a linear trajectory when viewed from a ground-based radar. The small change in attitude of the object as it flies overhead permits the generation of an inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) image. In this paper, Altair’s FEKO™ software is used to model the monostatic radar scattering from the ISS as a function of frequency and aspect angle. The computed data is used for generating a simulated ISAR image from a ground-based radar. The system design requirements for the radar are calculated from the radar equation.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

M. I. Skolnik, Introduction to Radar Systems. 3rd Edition, McGraw Hill, Boston, 2001.

NASA Orbital Debris Program Office, https://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/

https://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/measurements/

S. Anger, M. Jirousek, S. Dill, and M. Peichl, “IoSiS – A High Performance Experimental Imaging Radar for Space Surveillance,” 2019 IEEE Radar Conference, Apr. 22-26, Boston, MA.

D. Mensa, High Resolution Radar Imaging. 3rd ed., vol. 2. Oxford: Clarendon, 1892, pp. 68-73.

Downloads

Published

2020-11-07

How to Cite

[1]
Aaron Brandewie and Robert J. Burkholder, “FEKO™ Simulation of Radar Scattering from Objects in Low Earth Orbit for ISAR Imaging”, ACES Journal, vol. 35, no. 11, pp. 1358–1359, Nov. 2020.

Issue

2020: Vol 35 Iss 11

Section

Articles