Systems, devices, and methods for determining space object attitude stabilities from radar cross-section statistics

A method comprising:

• receiving, via a processor, a plurality of radar cross-section (RCS) measurements of a space object from a radar having a field of view, wherein the RCS measurements are obtained from a plurality of passes of the space object into the field of view;
• estimating, via the processor, a first expected RCS value based on the RCS measurements when the space object is within the field of view at a first elevation angle relative to the radar, and a second expected RCS value based on the RCS measurements when the space object is within the field of view at a second elevation angle relative to the radar, wherein the first elevation angle is greater than the second elevation angle;
• determining, via the processor, a stability index (SI) based on the first expected RCS value and the second expected RCS value;
• receiving, via the processor, an RCS measurement from the radar when the space object is within the field of view at the first elevation angle or the second elevation angle, wherein the RCS measurement is received after the SI has been determined;
• inputting, via the processor, the SI updated based on the RCS measurement being slidably windowed into a finite state machine (FSM), wherein the FSM tracks the space object between a plurality of states;
• and
• taking, via the processor, an action based on a change detected in one of the states.