The Use of Meteor Radars in the Detection of Infalling Space Debris

Abstract

ABSTRACTRadars of various configurations are used to detect the flux of meteors into the atmosphere, and therefore may be of use in characterizing the artificial meteors produced by small (100 microns - 1 cm) pieces of space debris upon re-entry. Both conventional and over-the-horizon radars are discussed here, and the ways in which they may be deployed in order to detect infalling space debris are outlined.