Establishing the Capabilities of the Murchison Widefield Array as a Passive Radar for the Surveillance of Space

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that the Murchison Widefield Array can be effectively used as a passive radar system for space surveillance, capable of detecting and tracking objects in low Earth orbit over large areas.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of a low-frequency radio telescope as a passive radar for space object monitoring, including system setup, signal processing, and initial results.

Findings

Successful detection of space objects using FM radio signals

Widefield coverage of low Earth orbit objects

Effective orbit tracking and propagation capabilities

Abstract

This paper describes the use of the Murchison Widefield Array, a low-frequency radio telescope at a radio-quiet Western Australian site, as a radar receiver forming part of a continent-spanning multistatic radar network for the surveillance of space. This paper details the system geometry employed, the orbit-specific radar signal processing, and the orbit determination algorithms necessary to ensure resident space objects are detected, tracked, and propagated. Finally, the paper includes the results processed after a short collection campaign utilising several FM radio transmitters across the country, up to a maximum baseline distance of over 2500 km. The results demonstrate the Murchison Widefield Array is able to provide widefield and persistent coverage of objects in low Earth orbit.