Speaker: Dr. Brian M. Kent, Fellow, IEEE, AMTA, AFRL, Chief Scientist, Sensors Directorate, Chief Scientist, Sensors Directorate, WPAFB, OH 45433, USA

Date/Time:
Thursday September 5,
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm, lecture, questions, comments and interaction.
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm, refreshments and networking

Location:
Boardroom 5084, SITE Building, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS)
University of Ottawa
800 King Edward Avenue
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada

Parking: Need to pay.

Registration: Free and required. To ensure a seat, please contact Dr. Qingsheng Zeng (qingsheng.zeng@crc.gc.ca).

Organizer: Dr. Qingsheng Zeng

Organizer e-mail: qingsheng.zeng@crc.gc.ca

Organized by
IEEE Ottawa Antennas and Propagation Society and Microwave Theory & Techniques Society (AP/MTT) Joint Chapter
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Chapter
Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology (CPMT) Chapter
Communications Society, Broadcast Technology Society, and Consumer Electronics Society (ComSoc/BTS/CES) Joint Chapter
Vehicular Technology (VT) Chapter
Aerospace and Electronics Systems (AES) Chapter
IEEE Ottawa Section (OS)
School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at University of Ottawa

 Abstract:

This is a presentation that introduces the NASA Debris Radar (NDR) system developed to characterize debris liberated by the space shuttle (and any follow-on rocket system) during its ascent into space. Radar technology is well suited for characterizing shuttle ascent debris, and is especially valuable during night launches when optical sensors are severely degraded. The shuttle debris mission presents challenging radar requirements in terms of target detection and tracking, minimum detectable radar cross-section (RCS), calibration accuracy, power profile management, and operational readiness. After setting the stage with background of the Columbia accident, I initially describe the NDR system consists of stationary C-band radar located at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and two X-band radars deployed to sea during shuttle missions. Various sizes, shapes, and types of shuttle debris materials were characterized using static and dynamic radar measurements and ballistic coefficient calculations. My second Part discusses the NASA Debris Radar (NDR) successes, which led to a new challenge of processing and analyzing the large amount of radar data collected by the NDR systems and extracting information useful to the NASA debris community. Analysis tools and software codes were developed to visualize the shuttle metric data in real-time, visualize metric and signature data during post-mission analysis, automatically detect and characterize debris tracks in signature data, determine ballistic numbers for detected debris objects, and assess material type, size, release location and threat to the orbiter based on radar scattering and ballistic properties of the debris. Future applications for space situational awareness and space-lift applications will also be discussed.