Space-based distributed radar system for facilitating imaging of areas

A satellite to obtain image data for producing an image of an area of earth, the satellite comprising:

• a bay;
• a panel coupled to the bay;
• an array of photovoltaic cells disposed on a first side of the panel to provide power for the satellite;
• an antenna array disposed on a second side of the panel opposite the first side;
• a transmitter disposed in the bay and coupled to the antenna array;
• a receiver disposed in the bay and coupled to the antenna array;
• and
• a processing device disposed in the bay and communicatively coupled to the transmitter and receiver, the processing device configured to:
• operate the satellite cooperatively with a plurality of satellites arranged in a formation for imaging an area of the earth while the formation travels along a flight path over the area, the formation having a center that moves along the flight path over the area, wherein at least three satellites in the formation define a plane that is orthogonally oriented to the area while the formation travels along the flight path;
• operate the transmitter to transmit a first plurality of radar signals from the antenna array toward the area while an orientation of the formation changes with respect to the center as the formation travels along the flight path, wherein the first plurality of radar signals are orthogonally coded to radar signals transmitted from other satellites of the plurality of satellites;
• and
• receive, from the receiver, a second plurality of radar signals returned from the area in response to transmission of at least the first plurality of radar signals, the second plurality of radar signals comprising a first portion of radar signals representative of reflections of the first plurality of radar signals from the area and a second portion of radar signals representative of reflections from the area of a third plurality of radar signals transmitted toward the area by at least one other satellite of the plurality of satellites.

A method of operating a satellite cluster to obtain image data for producing an image of an area of earth, the satellite cluster comprising:

• a plurality of satellites arranged in a formation to travel along a flight path over an area of the earth, wherein:
• at least three satellites of the plurality of satellites define a plane that is orthogonally oriented to the area,
• the formation has a center that moves along the flight path over the area, and
• an orientation of the formation changes with respect to the center as the formation travels along the flight path while the plane remains orthogonally oriented to the area;
• and
• a first satellite of the plurality of satellites comprises:
• a bay;
• a panel coupled to the bay;
• an array of photovoltaic cells disposed on a first side of the panel to provide power for the first satellite;
• an antenna array disposed on a second side of the panel opposite the first side;
• a transmitter disposed in the bay and coupled to the antenna array;
• a receiver disposed in the bay and coupled to the antenna array;
• and
• a processing device disposed in the bay and communicatively coupled to the transmitter and receiver, the method comprising:
• operating the transmitter of the first satellite to transmit a first plurality of radar signals from the antenna array toward the area while the orientation of the formation changes with respect to the center as the formation travels along the flight path, wherein the first plurality of radar signals are orthogonally coded to radar signals transmitted from other satellites of the plurality of satellites;
• and
• receiving, by the processing device of the first satellite, a second plurality of radar signals from the receiver of the first satellite, the second plurality of radar signals returned from the area in response to transmission of at least the first plurality of radar signals, the second plurality of radar signals comprising a first portion of radar signals representative of reflections of the first plurality of radar signals from the area and a second portion of radar signals representative of reflections from the area of a third plurality of radar signals transmitted toward the area by at least one other satellite of the plurality of satellites.