Signal-to-noise ratio analysis in satellite-airship bistatic space based radar

For the special bistatic space based radar system which is composed of an illuminator on a geostationary satellite and a receiver on an airship, the analysis to the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is very important for the realization of detecting capability to moving targets. In this paper, based on the practical receiver platform coordinate frame and the spherical-earth assumption, the method of SNR calculation is first introduced, then the iso-SNR contours characteristics analysis for the special bistatic space based radar of operations for area surveillance are depicted in detail. It is shown that the changes in the iso-SNR contours are closely correlative with the special geometry configurations. The conclusions are acquired by comparing with those of monostatic and general bistatic space based radar.