Synthetic Aperture GPS Signal Processing: Concept and Feasibility Demonstration

This paper introduces the concept of applying synthetically generated phased array antennas for processing Global Positioning System (GPS) signals. The core concept is the exploitation of GPS antenna motion for synthesizing large antenna apertures. Narrow beam generation capabilities of synthetic apertures can be utilized for interference and jamming mitigation, and for producing high resolution radar images passively using received GPS signals. A fast Fourier transform (FFT)-based method is applied for simultaneous steering of the synthetic array's beams in multiple directions. Simulation results and flight test results are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of synthetic beam steering techniques for GPS antennas.