Brendan Quine, ThothX, LLC; Caroline Roberts, Thoth Technology Inc.; Tom Johnson, Exa Research, LLC; Christos Koulas, MDA Systems Ltd.; Keith Pringnitz, MDA Systems Ltd.; Shane Ryall, Defence Research Development Canada; Lauchie Scott, Defense R&D Canada; Denis Heynen, DND / RCAF / CANSpOC; Stefan Thorsteinson, Defence Research and Development Canada; Bayden Pritchard, Telesat; Michael Lyon, ThothX LLC; Guillermo Sohnlein, ThothX LLC; Gordon Davidson, MDA Systems Ltd; Laszlo Osvath, MDA Systems Ltd; Kevin Graziani, COMSPOC; Paul Graziani, COMSPOC
Keywords: Deep Space Radar, Pulse Compression Radars, Monostatic Radar
Abstract:
We describe the global expansion of ThothX’s (thothx.com) novel deep space radar technology called Earthfence. Earthfence is a software defined pulse compression radar technology that enables operators of large aperture antennas to rapidly repurpose them into GEO capable monostatic radars at very low cost compared with new infrastructure. Originally developed and now deployed on ThothX’s 46 m parabolic antenna near Ottawa, Canada’s largest full steerable antenna, Earthfence observes resident space objects up to one hundred million meters in range and provides meter scale range accuracy in near real time and with industry leading latency, cadence and automation. Operating in C-band, the solution is fully digital, the radar return pulses digitized in complex quadrature after low-noise amplification and forwarded for analysis by a supercomputer cluster that applies radar processing algorithms including pulse compression. The system live streams results without human-in-the-loop intervention to repositories including the Unified Data Library where ThothX regularly contributes radar observations of GEO spacecraft during Sprint Advanced Concept Training (SACT) events, a joint initiative of Space Force and the Department of Commerce. Using novel hardware technology and very low amplifier power levels in comparison to traditional radars, Earthfence is a cost-effective solution for SDA. Earthfence’s high accuracy results rely for calibration on a hydrogen maser frequency standard only. Our monostatic radar solution eliminates the problems inherent with multi-element radars where regular calibration of phase parameters is required to maintain coherence.
In contrast to ground-based optical systems where sensor availability may be 20% or less, radar provides a methodology to observe RSOs at any time of day, under all weathers and with little or no solar exclusion and an availability exceeding 98%. We present results from recent work under a technology demonstration program for Defence Research Development Canada to demonstrate the radar’s performance including a capability to continuously observe targets over periods exceeding days for applications including Rendezvous and Proximity operations (RPO) monitoring and to meet technology milestones such as an observation cadence less than 30 seconds. We will present results on Earthfence’s ability to discriminate closely spaced objects. We outline our roadmap to increase detectivity to a capability that can detect objects the size of a football in GEO (Radar Cross Section of 0.16 meters squared) to meet a performance level similar to the United States Space Force’s proposed Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) program at a fraction of the risk and cost.
Recently, Thoth has partnered with MDA (mda.space), Canada’s leading space technology company, to provide an operationalised solution for the Canadian government, and we present results from this collaboration including software and hardware upgrades and a program to apply Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) to the imaging of GEO belt objects as well as other object characterization techniques that are under development. We describe various technology initiatives to extend Earthfence’s radar capability to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and to integrate Earthfence observations with NEOsat, a space-based optical sensor. We report on a Directed Learning Objective to enhance Canada’s response to on-orbit GEO events in an event simulating an operator-based emergency by Telesat.
Lastly, we will describe our program to expand our existing America operations to Pacific and European theatres to provide global commercial coverage of the GEO belt where ThothX in collaboration with COMSPOC is refurbishing existing C-band antennas for radar service including a 30-meter antenna in Western Australia. Combined, these assets will provide near global coverage and a continuous, unclassified, radar-backed space situational awareness data service. Global deployment of Earthfence will enable 24/7 surveillance of critical GEO assets using a key sensor architecture that can underpin a robust civil space traffic management plan for GEO assets and provide the low latency, high revisit rate SSA data service that is needed to secure this crucial orbital regime.
Date of Conference: September 19-22, 2023
Track: SDA Systems & Instrumentation