Bistatic ISAR Image Based Attitude Estimation for Space Objects

Bistatic inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging plays a significant role in observation of space objects. Because of the reduction in spatial resolution of bistatic ISAR images, it is difficult to estimate attitude of space objects. In this paper, an attitude estimation technique of bistatic ISAR images is proposed, which can be achieved by matching a few feature points on 3-D model and 2-D image. The effects on point spread function (PSF) and spatial resolution of bistatic radar are analyzed. Based on the projection relationship from 3-D model to 2-D image, an iterative optimization procedure for solving non-homogeneous linear equation system is derived. Numerical simulation results of a typical space object are presented to demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed technique.