Joint UK-Australian Space Surveillance Target Tracking, Cueing and Sensor Data Fusion Experiment

In February 2014 the UK and Australia carried out a joint space surveillance target tracking, cueing, and sensor data fusion experiment. Four organisations were involved, these being the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) and Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) with the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) and Electro Optic Systems (EOS) of Australia. The experiment utilised the UK STFC CAMRa radar located at Chilbolton in southern England and an Australian optical camera and laser system owned and operated by EOS and located at Mount Stromlo near Canberra, Australia. An additional experimental camera owned and operated by DSTO and located at Adelaide, Australia also contributed. Three initial objectives of the experiment were all achieved, these being: 1) Use multiple CAMRa orbit passes to cue EOS optical sensor; 2) Use single CAMRa passes constrained by TLEs to cue EOS optical sensor; 3) Use EOS laser returns to provide an updated "reverse" cue for CAMRa radar. Due to the success of these three objectives, two additional objectives were also set during the trials, these being: 4) Use CAMRa orbits to cue DSTO experimental optical sensor; 5) Use CAMRa orbits to provide CAMRa self-cue. These objectives were also achieved. The experiments were performed over two one week periods with a one week separation between tracking campaigns. This paper describes the experimental programme from a top-level perspective and outlines the planning and execution of the experiment together with some initial analysis results. The main achievements and implications for use of dissimilar and geographically separated sensors for space situational awareness are highlighted. Two companion papers describe the sensor aspects of the experiment (Eastment et al.) and the data fusion aspects (Rutten et al.) respectively.