Simulating Space Surveillance Networks
David Vallado · 2017
Generating observations for satellites is a difficult process because actual observations are usually withheld and sensor locations and performance are often unknown. While many tools exist, a comprehensive listing of sensor locations and characteristics is difficult to find. When sensor locations are known, the specific tracking frequency is very difficult to model as the observations generally result from ad hoc tasking directives, implemented by each sensor with individual constraints. Sensor operational open and close dates are not well known either for historical purposes. This paper summarizes open source data to establish a baseline of sensor locations, primarily using Google Earth. We also discuss techniques to accurately simulate the observations and arrive at realistic scheduling densities.