The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Miniature Radio Frequency (Mini-RF) Technology Demonstration

The Miniature Radio Frequency (Mini-RF) system is manifested on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) as a technology demonstration and an extended mission science instrument. Mini-RF represents a significant step forward in spaceborne RF technology and architecture. It combines synthetic aperture radar (SAR) at two wavelengths (S-band and X-band) and two resolutions (150 m and 30 m) with interferometric and communications functionality in one lightweight (16 kg) package. Previous radar observations (Earth-based, and one bistatic data set from Clementine) of the permanently shadowed regions of the lunar poles seem to indicate areas of high circular polarization ratio (CPR) consistent with volume scattering from volatile deposits (e.g. water ice) buried at shallow (0.1–1 m) depth, but only at unfavorable viewing geometries, and with inconclusive results. The LRO Mini-RF utilizes new wideband hybrid polarization architecture to measure the Stokes parameters of the reflected signal. These data will help to differentiate “true” volumetric ice reflections from “false” returns due to angular surface regolith. Additional lunar science investigations (e.g. pyroclastic deposit characterization) will also be attempted during the LRO extended mission. LRO’s lunar operations will be contemporaneous with India’s Chandrayaan-1, which carries the Forerunner Mini-SAR (S-band wavelength and 150-m resolution), and bistatic radar (S-Band) measurements may be possible. On orbit calibration, procedures for LRO Mini-RF have been validated using Chandrayaan 1 and ground-based facilities (Arecibo and Greenbank Radio Observatories).     

Ground and airborne target detection with bistatic adaptivespace-based radar

We have demonstrated that by using adaptive space-time processing, it is possible to detect and locate slowly-moving targets immersed in strong ground clutter from a bistatic spaceborne radar     

Comparison between monostatic and bistatic antenna configurationsfor STAP

The unique characteristics of bistatic radar operation on the performance of airborne/spaceborne moving target indicator (MTI) radars that use space-time adaptive processing (STAP) are discussed. It has been shown that monostatic STAP radar has the following properties. 1) For a horizontal flight path and a planar Earth the curves of constant clutter Doppler (isodops) are hyperbolas. 2) For a sidelooking antenna geometry the clutter Doppler is range independent. 3) Clutter trajectories in the cosφ-F plane (F=normalized Doppler) are in general ellipses (or straight lines for a sidelooking array). We demonstrate that these well-known properties are distorted by the displacement between transmitter and receiver in a bistatic configuration. It is shown that even for the sidelooking array geometry the clutter Doppler is range-dependent which requires adaptation of the STAP processor for each individual range gate. Conclusions for the design of STAP processors are drawn     

Polar format algorithm for bistatic SAR

Matched filtering (MF) of phase history data is a mathematically ideal but computationally expensive approach to bistatic synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image formation. Fast backprojection algorithms (BPAs) for image formation have recently been shown to give improved O(N/sup 2/ log/sub 2/N) performance. An O(N/sup 2/ log/sub 2/N) bistatic polar format algorithm (PFA) based on a bistatic far-field assumption is derived. This algorithm is a generalization of the popular PFA for monostatic SAR image formation and is highly amenable to implementation with existing monostatic image formation processors. Limits on the size of an imaged scene, analogous to those in monostatic systems, are derived for the bistatic PFA.     

Attitude and antenna pointing design of bistatic radar formations

Spaceborne bistatic radar observations allow original scientific applications to be carried out. Furthermore, assuming transmitting and receiving antennas operating on separated platforms, key design issues relevant to formation flying must be solved. Mathematical models are presented for computation of attitude and pointing angles. Main design constraint is the capability of maintaining swath overlap, but selected strategy also depends on the cost of spacecraft attitude maneuvering or antenna beam electronic steering. The model has been applied considering a large transmitting/receiving primary mission and a receiving-only small satellite. In this case antenna steering was preferred. Finally, if the passive antenna is smaller than the active one, overlap maintenance is simplified, obviating the need for yaw rotations.     

First spaceborne demonstration of BeiDou-3 signals for GNSS reflectometry from CYGNSS constellation

The full constellation of Chinese Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) BeiDou-3 has been deployed completely and started fully operational service. In addition to providing global Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services, the BeiDou-3 satellites transmissions can also be used as the sources of illumination for Earth Observation (EO) with a bistatic radar configuration. This innovative EO concept, known as GNSS reflectometry (GNSS-R), allows to measure the Earth surface characteristics at high resolution via the reflected L-band radar signals collected by a constellation of small, low cost and low Earth orbiting satellites. For the first time in orbit, earth reflected BeiDou-3 signal has been detected from the limited sets of raw data collected by the NASA’s Cyclone GNSS (CYGNSS) constellation. The feasibility of spaceborne BeiDou-3 reflections on two typical applications, including sea surface wind and flooding inundation detection, has been demonstrated. The methodology and results give new strength to the prospect of new spaceborne GNSS-R instruments and missions, which can make multi-GNSS reflectometry observations available to better capture rapidly changing weather systems at better spatio-temporal scales.     

Spaceborne along-track SAR interferometry: performance analysis andmission scenarios

A system study of a spaceborne along-track synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometer is presented. This sensor has been successfully experienced for detecting moving targets by using only airborne installations. Several key issues must be addressed when spaceborne configurations are envisaged. To this end, a quantitative evaluation of system performance and measurement accuracy has been conducted. First, the identification of possible space configurations has been accomplished. In particular, the two antennas can operate on a single satellite or they can be carried along appropriate trajectories by two spacecrafts. Then, an error budget of radial velocity measurement accuracy has been performed. Finally, two possible mission scenarios are dealt in details, and numerical results are reported     

Framework and Taxonomy for Radar Space-Time Adaptive Processing (STAP) Methods

The goal of radar space-time adaptive processing (STAP) is to detect slow moving targets from a moving platform, typically airborne or spaceborne. STAP generally requires the estimation and the inversion of an interference-plus-noise (I+N) covariance matrix. To reduce both the number of samples involved in the estimation and the computational cost inherent to the matrix inversion, many suboptimum STAP methods have been proposed. We propose a new canonical framework that encompasses all suboptimum STAP methods we are aware of. The framework allows for both covariance-matrix (CM) estimation and range-dependence compensation (RDC); it also applies to monostatic and bistatic configurations. Finally, we discuss a taxonomy for classifying the methods described by the framework.     

分布式卫星干涉测高系统编队构形优化设计方法

 分布式卫星干涉合成孔径雷达（InSAR）编队构形设计是系统总体设计的关键问题。从系统测高性能优化角度出发，提出分布式InSAR编队优化设计一般方法，将其概括为求解一个优化问题，以主星带辅星群体制分布式InSAR为例建立目标函数，针对其星载双站、斜视、空间基线等特点建立测高精度与辅星轨道根数的关系，基于近似的相对运动数学模型对该优化问题进行简化，并采用遗传算法求解。在此基础上，对多颗卫星组成编队以提高系统测高性能提出了一种多星编队设计方法。仿真分析表明，经优化得到的编队测高性能要优于干涉车轮和钟摆编队，该结果验证了优化设计方法的有效性和正确性。     

双基地角时变下的ISAR稀疏孔径自聚焦成像

针对双基地角时变下的逆合成孔径雷达（ISAR）成像分辨率低以及稀疏孔径存在相位误差引起图像散焦等问题,提出了一种基于贝叶斯压缩感知（BCS）的双基地ISAR稀疏孔径自聚焦高分辨成像算法。在平动补偿后回波数据的基础上,首先构造补偿相位将由双基地角时变引起的多普勒偏移补偿掉,然后构造随双基地角变化的稀疏基矩阵,建立基于压缩感知的双基地ISAR稀疏孔径观测模型,并将相位误差作为ISAR成像的模型误差,接着假设目标图像各像元服从Laplace先验、噪声统计特性服从Gaussian分布,利用贝叶斯推理进行"分布式"迭代求解,在高分辨成像的同时实现了相位自聚焦,仿真结果验证了算法的有效性和优越性。     

表面不连续特征双站散射特性的试验研究

 采用一种新颖的不连续特征双站雷达散射截面（RCS）测试方法,通过系列化测试,研究了单直缝隙板、单直台阶板的双站散射特性,提出了不连续特征双站散射具有相似性、对称性和平移性的特点,分析了不同不连续特征具有的异同点。试验结果表明：对不连续特征,不同双站下的RCS散射曲线均具有和对应入射频率下的单站散射曲线分布形式相似的特点,同时不同的不连续特征对幅值的影响不同;如果测试方式和试验件对称,则双站和单站散射曲线均具有关于峰值所在方位角对称的特点,单直缝隙板由于试验件本身的对称性表现为较好的曲线对称性,而单直台阶板则表现为稍弱的对称性;散射曲线随双站角的增大,具有明显的平移特性,平移的幅度为双站角的1/2,平移方向为从发射天线指向接收天线,平移后的曲线峰值处于发射天线和接收天线夹角平分线上。     

A Raw Signal Simulator for Bistatic SAR

This article proposes a new efficient raw signal simulator for the bistatic synthetic aperture radar (SAR) based on 2D fast Fourier transform (FFT) to deal with cases of both ideal trajectory and trajectory deviation. It begins with analyzing the geometric configuration and the range history of the bistatic SAR in side-looking and squint modes of ideal trajectory as well as trajectory deviation. Then a detailed and mathematical study is conducted on the equivalence relation of bistatic-to-monostatic applications (BTMA) in the case of ideal trajectory and trajectory deviation. Also a set of formulas are derived for the equivalence relation between bistatic SAR and monostatic SAR on some reasonable assumptions. Therefore, the application of the simulation method based on the 2D FFT for the monostatic SAR can be extended to the case of bistatic SAR. Finally, the simulation results prove the validity of this method. By comparing the efficiency of the proposed method with that of the time domain method, it is shown that the former is a few orders of magnitude higher.     

SIR-C/X-SAR: A multifaceted radar

The multifaceted Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) was successfully flown twice in 1994 aboard the Shuttle Endeavour as part of an international imaging radar mission. The United States SIR-C operated at L- and C-band, each with multiple polarization, utilizing an active phased array antenna. The German/Italian X-SAR operated at X-band with a single polarization. SIR-C and X-SAR operated synchronously to collect data over common sites. Data were collected for repeat-track interferometric processing at all three frequencies. A total of 143 hours (93 terabits) of SAR data were digitally recorded on tape over the two flights for subsequent processing in the U.S., Germany, and Italy. This advanced multifrequency/multipolarization system has produced a rich radar data set for Earth scientific investigation and demonstration of spaceborne radar remote sensing capabilities     

GEO星弹双基SAR多普勒分辨率特性分析

通过对地球同步轨道（GEO）卫星运动特点的分析，阐明其对多普勒分辨率的影响。传统的双基合成孔径雷达（SAR）多普勒分辨率表达式由于不考虑雷达平台加速度矢量带来的影响，并不适用于GEO星弹双基SAR系统。根据收发平台的双曲线轨迹对目标的回波多普勒特性影响，首先利用梯度方法推导了GEO星弹双基SAR系统的多普勒分辨率表达式；随后详细地分析了GEO卫星与导弹的空间几何关系及多普勒参数，特别是加速度矢量对多普勒分辨率的影响。仿真结果验证了所推导多普勒分辨率表达式的有效性，其有助于双基SAR理论系统完整性的提高，为后续系统设计及应用实践提供理论支撑。     

任务可靠度的估算分析

飞机设计工作中一项十分重要的任务是产品可靠性设计，本文回顾了任务可靠性的基本概念，给出了能够确定飞机完成任务可能性的任务可靠度的估算方法。在此基础上，为说明任务可靠度估算的实际过程，本文最后对某型飞机电传控制系统任务可靠度进行了分析，并给出了分析结论。     

基于稀疏分解的空间目标双基地ISAR自聚焦算法

空间目标双基地逆合成孔径雷达（ISAR）成像中,双基地角时变会造成二维图像的散焦。针对此问题,在三大同步理想可实现的条件下,以平稳空间目标为研究对象,分析了空间目标双基地ISAR成像原理,研究了双基地角时变对二维图像散焦的影响机理,提出了利用稀疏分解实现高精度自聚焦的算法。首先,将半双基地角的余弦进行泰勒展开;其次,结合目标的平动及转动条件,将成像相位项用多项式建模;然后,利用稀疏分解算法估计多项式的二次项系数,据此构建补偿项完成相位补偿。算法利用L-曲线准则选取正则参数,基于目标尺寸的先验信息构建冗余基的高分辨因子,利用推广的正则化欠定系统聚焦求解（FOCUSS）算法实现稀疏表示系数的估计,在恰当选取词典分辨率的条件下,算法可实现二次相位项的精确补偿,仿真实验验证了算法性能优于常用的非参数化自聚焦算法。     

Cascade-type guidance law design for multiple-UAV formation keeping

A procedure to compute guidance commands for controlling the relative geometry of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in formation flight is proposed. The concepts of branch, global leader, and local leader/follower are used to represent the whole formation geometry. A positive-definite function defined in terms of the formation error is then introduced and the Lyapunov stability theorem is used to obtain the cascade type guidance law. This scheme leads to the synchronized flight of all UAVs while maintaining formation geometry. The results of a high fidelity nonlinear simulation of a reconnaissance and surveillance mission example are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed guidance law.     

空间大型星载抛物面天线研究进展

抛物面天线作为星载天线的重要组成部分,在深空探测、移动通信、国防事业、气象监测等方面均具有广泛应用,近年来随着上述学科的快速发展,抛物面天线的研究也越来越受到人们的重视。针对空间大型星载抛物面天线的发展与需求,首先系统地概括了国外星载抛物球面天线的发展现状,综述了刚性、网状以及充气式星载抛物球面天线,对各类星载抛物球面天线的结构、性能进行了较为详细的描述和分析,对国内在该领域的部分研究成果进行了简述。然后梳理了星载抛物柱面天线的发展,对国内外具有代表性的抛物柱面天线进行了介绍,对抛物球面天线和抛物柱面天线进行了参数对比与分析。接下来对近年来针对星载抛物面天线的相关技术进行了介绍。最后对星载抛物面天线的发展趋势做了简要分析与预测。     

基于CZT的机载并行双站斜视SAR成像算法

建立了机载并行双站斜视合成孔径雷达(SAR)的几何模型,给出了雷达回波的数学表达式,推导了它的二维频谱并对其特点做了分析。在二维频域内,先用聚焦函数对观测场景中心的点目标做精确成像,然后用Chirp-Z变换(CZT)校正中心点两侧目标回波的距离徙动,再通过方位向逆傅里叶变换得到了雷达图像。该算法利用了CZT能够处理非线性调频信号的特点,简化了处理过程,提高了计算效率和成像精度。仿真实验验证了这种基于CZT的新算法在处理并行双站斜视SAR数据时的有效性。     

Optimization of the tether-assisted return mission of a guided re-entry capsule

This paper presents the mission analysis of a tether-assisted payload retrieval from the International Space Station (ISS). The objective is to assess all relevant phases of such a mission in order to allow a comparison with a conventional mission employing a propulsive deorbitation. The controlled tether deployment procedure and the guided return flight of the released re-entry capsule are optimized. A preferable deployment strategy is identified that allows for favorable entry conditions and low flight loads. The optimal deployment trajectories serve as a basis for an optimal dynamic regulator. This approach is extended towards an adaptive concept, where artificial neural networks are applied to deployment control. For the guidance of the capsule a predictive concept is proposed that is based on the optimal re-entry trajectories identified previously. By applying these concepts, the attainable landing accuracy during return amounts to an average of 5 km, and the application of the tether system exhibits overall system mass advantages. This demonstrates that the tether-assisted return mission is a competitive alternative.