Satellite-Based Solutions for Beyond-LEO Space Surveillance

This paper will show the capabilities that a space based component of a space situational awareness system can offer with respect to the object population in beyond-LEO orbits. The main focus will be on space surveillance. Based on performance parameters, different space based solutions will be analyzed. Performance parameters are for example: achievable number of catalogued objects, selectivity of the observations, and mean revisit time. The performance is driven mainly by the selection of the orbits for the satellite constellation, the number of satellites and sensors used, by the observation strategies, and the instrument parameters. Most of the space based solutions for space surveillance presented in the last years have focused on objects in GEO, allowing some simplifications, i.e. with respect to the observation strategies. The necessary observation strategies to cover the object population in Molniya-type orbits, navigation satellite orbits, GTO, and GEO will be presented in this paper. The PROOF-2005 software will be used as a basis to simulate object detections. Post processing tools will be used to derive the needed performance figures. Based on the above results, the feasibility to build up and maintain an object catalogue for beyond-LEO objects solely relying on space based sensors will be discussed.