Initial orbit determination with the multibeam radar sensor BIRALES

In this work we present a conceptual analysis of the use of the novel Italian multibeam radar sensor BIRALES for space surveillance. The dedicated orbit determination algorithm is described in detail. The algorithm is tailored to the peculiar configuration of the receiver gain pattern and is devoted to both reconstructing the track of the object transiting in the receiver field of view and estimating its state vector. The performance of the sensor is assessed with numerical simulations, offering an analysis on both pointing strategies and orbit determination accuracy for different survey configurations.