Automated Nap of the Earth (ANOE) data collection radar

Abstract

Under a Phase II SBIR from NASA, a data collection radar was developed to support the NASA program in Automated Napof the Earth (ANOE) guidance for helicopters. The developed radar is comprised of two parts, a sensor front end and a digital signal processor. The sensor front end is a wideband, linear FM, 94 GHz millimeter wave radar with dual circular polarization and dual axis monopulse. It provides 10 dB signal-to-noise on a 5 m/sup 2/ target at 1 km. Digital signal processing is employed to provide range compression and monopulse angle beam sharpening. To remain within funding limitations the radar generates a reduced size raster scan of 12.5/spl deg/ /spl times/250/spl times/320 m for collecting data. The range resolution is 3 m, the angle bin size is 0.34/spl deg/, and there is frequency agility over 600 MHz. Data was collected from a ground location to verify operation of the radar. The data is displayed in a C-scope format using NASA supplied "Grid World" software.