Application of spaceborne distributed aperture/coherent array processing (SDA/CAP) to environmental remote sensing missions is discussed. This technology differs from conventional monostatic remote sensing approaches in that sensor elements are distributed among many space platforms. It is possible to coherently combine the inputs from many receiving spacecraft in order to form a very large distributed aperture, thousands of kilometers in size. This enormous effective aperture size can provide nanoradian resolution in the microwave region of the spectrum. Relative spacecraft phase measurement accuracies on the order of a fraction of a wavelength are required to support the technology. Spacecraft relative position and time measurement via hydrogen maser time references on each spacecraft and laser ranging between spacecraft is proposed. Intersatellite laser ranging technology needs to be developed to support the application of SDA/CAP techniques for advanced space environmental remote sensor systems.
Application of Spaceborne Distributed Aperture/Coherent Array Processing (SDA/CAP) Technology to Active and Passive Microwave Remote Sensing
1986
5 pages
Report
No indication
English
Smart Multi-Aperture Radar Techniques for Spaceborne Remote Sensing
German Aerospace Center (DLR) | 2008
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