Space Based Radar (SBR)

On-Board Processing (OBP)

The Space Based Radar On-Board Processing (OBP) Program is most interested in investigating on-board processing technologies applicable to the SBR Program. The SBR OBP Program is also interested in developing radar signal processing algorithms, associated technologies and system concepts and architectures that encompass OBP and will meet the SBR mission objectives. The OBP shall accept data from the payload beamformer in the form of multiple wideband radar (i.e., unprocessed) channels pre-sub-band combination as leveraged off existing and future payload technology developments. The OBP will combine the sub-bands and create either GMTI detections or SAR image data. The SAR data may be either complex imagery data or detected imagery data. The SAR data will be downlinked to theater assets typical of the 2010 timeframe. The capacity of the OBP and associated buffers will assure timely delivery of the products with no loss of collected radar data. Front-end collection data rates will be commensurate with high resolution, multi-channel SAR, GMTI, and DTED operation for up to 25 minutes (TBR) at a time. OBP shall support SBR performance requirements (e.g. area rates, search modes, latency, probability of detection, false alarm density, etc.) as described in the Electronic Scanning Array (ESA) Technical Requirements Document (TRD), (March 28, 2001).