Long Baseline Radar Bistatic Measurements of Geostationary Satellites

A novel approach to enhance the sensitivity of radar sensors for tracking geostationary satellites has been demonstrated using bistatic measurements. This method leverages large aperture radio telescopes as receivers, addressing the challenges posed by the extreme distance of 36,000 km and the small radar cross-section of modern satellites. The study successfully employed the Millstone Hill Radar (MHR) in the USA alongside three European receivers—the Sardinia Radio Telescope (SRT), Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT), and Jodrell Bank Observatory (JBO)—to achieve long-baseline bistatic radar measurements. This technique offers a promising solution for improving the detection of small satellites in geosynchronous orbits, which are increasingly prevalent but difficult to track with conventional monostatic radar systems.

Welch, S., Hogan, G., Morrison, R., Bassa, C., & Pisanu, T. (2022). Long Baseline Radar Bistatic Measurements of Geostationary Satellites. 2022 19th European Radar Conference (EuRAD), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.23919/eurad54643.2022.9925016