An optimal baseline design and performance analysis in distributed spaceborne SAR system

This paper discusses the capability of distributed spaceborne SAR, and presents a novel honeycomb configuration of satellite constellations with 6 micro-satellites. And a further analysis of five functional models about this configuration is done. The reliability determination test shows dependability in different working status of this 6-satellite system. Basing on the performance of this constellation, the optional baseline design was given. Furthermore, the relationship between multi-baseline and the range resolution, the accuracy of height measurement, the velocity accuracy, etc, are discussed. Then some simulations were accomplished to analysis the effects of the height measurement error, the accuracy of velocity and the flat land effect. It demonstrated that 6 micro satellites SAR system with the optimal baseline performs perfectly.