Digital Twin of a Spaceborne ISAR for Centimeter-Scale Debris Characterization in Low Earth Orbit

Abstract The proliferation of space debris in low orbits constitutes an undeniable problem for current and future space missions, as well as for the astronomical community. Space debris mitigation measures require constant and precise monitoring of these objects; however, this information cannot always be provided by ground-based telescopes. In this work, the use of a digital twin representing an inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) is employed to study centimeter-scale objects such as space debris and meteoroids in low Earth orbit. The evaluation of the concept and feasibility of a system to detect “lethal non-trackable” (LNT) objects in the 1 – 10 cm range using a 35 GHz ISAR with a 6 % bandwidth, a 30 KHz pulse repetition frequency, and a 40 dB gain antenna is made. The feasibility assessment confirms that this configuration provides sufficient spatial resolution and sensitivity to detect LNT debris ranging from 1 to 10 cm in diameter.