SBIR-STTR Award

Accuracy and reliability of target coordinate determination and tracking by US Air Force space surveillance radars depend critically on the quality of 3-D ionospheric electron densities in the theater of the radar operations. Currently such ionospheric densities are based on significantly outdated 35 year-old technology. The proposed research effort will explore applicability of two promising state-of-the-art technologies for estimating high-resolution 3-D ionospheric electron densities in the theater of operations. Foundations of both candidate solutions have been developed at Fusion Numerics Inc (FN) in the course of executing several prior contracts with the US Air Force and commercial entities. Main operational constraints in designing such systems for present day operations will be low computational requirements and self-sufficiency. The candidate system should be able to provide ionospheric specifications superior to that of the currently used Bent model using commodity computers available at the radar sites and without data inputs external to the radar site. Expected results will significantly enhance the ability of space surveillance radar to track space vehicles as they become smaller and maneuverable and also to overcome high ionospheric dynamics as unpredictable events increase in frequency during solar max periods.