A Model for the Derivation of Fuel Budgets in Multistatic SAR Formations

Abstract:
The use of multistatic SAR concepts offers a clear path for spacecraft simplification while targeting decent to good image quality and characteristics, typically linked to very stringent navigation requirements. In this complex multi-dimensional optimization trade space, the allocation of the fuel budget is of equivalent importance to other critical parameters such as instrument mass or power consumption. This paper focuses on fuel budget optimization under challenging baseline maintenance requirements. The problem is split into two consecutive parts: i) the maintenance of the reference track within a tube of several tens of meters to allow for repeat-pass SAR interferometric applications, and ii) the maintenance of all satellites in the formation within very tight cross-track and along-track baselines to allow for successful multistatic SAR reconstruction techniques. The paper describes the model used for the analysis and estimates of the required fuel in realistic multistatic scenarios.