DANTE: A Spaceborne Radar Constellation for Debris Detection and Tracking

Space debris poses a growing threat to the sustainability and safety of space operations, with increasing collision risks for satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Current ground based radar systems are limited in detecting small objects leaving a critical gap in monitoring capabilities. This work introduces DANTE (Detection ANd Tracking of space dEbris), a spaceborne radar constellation concept designed to enhance debris detection, continuous tracking, and trajectory refinement in LEO. The proposed system consists of multiple satellites in LEO, capable of achieving global coverage of debris populations. Each satellite hosts a modular radar operating at X-band and dual operational modes: Tracking Mode for high-resolution trajectory updates and beam Park/Electronic Fence Mode for debris discovery and initial orbit determination.
Performance analysis indicates sub-meter resolution in tracking mode and in the order of hundreds of meters in beam-park mode enabling detection of small objects. Mission design studies show that a large constellation can achieve full-sky coverage for object discovery multiple times per year, with scalability for faster revisit times to maintain up-to-date trajectories. This methodology closes observation gaps introduced by current technologies and their specific constraints. The architecture emphasizes a design to cost approach leveraging heritage from micro SAR systems to ensure affordability and modularity. By combining radar sensing with ground based processing for trajectory refinement, DANTE offers a viable solution to improve space situational awareness and mitigate collision risks in increasingly congested orbital environments.