InTrack Radar Object Transiting Tracker Proposal

The 200 - 400 km altitude orbit regime with significant atmospheric drag presents particular challenges for sensor tracking and orbit determination and requires novel solutions to maintain positive tracking and custody of these objects in orbital or suborbital trajectories. It’s likely that objects in this altitude regime will not appear to sensors where they would be expected based on prior object state information, necessitating improvements to sensor and processing capabilities to handle uncued and/or larger area search and acquisition. Additionally, emerging sub-orbital technologies and threats in the Low LEO range such as hypersonic glide vehicles are not adequately addressed by existing Space Surveillance Network (SSN) assets and capabilities.  Our team proposes a combined solution capable of acquiring, tracking, and reporting of objects in sub-orbital trajectories that would significantly enhance warfighter situational awareness and engagement options. The system would prototype WFOV EO/IR sensors tipping and cueing NFOV EO/IR sensors and a tailored X-band radar to successfully acquire and track Low LEO objects, use the sensing data to update orbital state data for intent determination / COA generation, and for Earth-bound objects predict impact location and time. Specifically, our team will focus on a combined tracking solution that includes a multitude of sensing systems working together in concert to meet the identified objectives. Furthermore, these sensing systems must deliver effectiveness and reliability to meeting increasing world-wide demands, while remaining affordable. To this end, our proposal includes three separate detection elements, each interfacing to one or more input sensing data sources to deliver object transiting detection and tracking capabilities in near real-time. To integrate these into the intended use, it requires development leading to key milestones on the individual sensor level as well as at the more enterprise integrated level.