Medicina Northern Cross Upgrade High Level Architecture: Medicina Radar System Implementation Plan

Abstract

The objective of this deliverable is to provide a preliminary and high level implementation plan for the realization of the upgrades and procurements identified in the deliverable DOC_01 of the project “Medicina Northern Cross Upgrade High Level Architecture”, agreed between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Istituto di Radioastronomia (IRA) of the Italian Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), under the contract No. 4000107622/12/D/MRP. In particular, a work list and an estimated time schedule to implement and validate the upgrades necessary to the Northern Cross radio telescope to permit its utilization as receiving part of a radar system for the survey and detection of space debris in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) are presented. A predicted time schedule for the development of the data acquisition system (HW and SW) and for the planning and deployment of the transmitting radar component is also given. The implementation plan is provided for both a surveillance radar representing an intermediate step between the present situation and the final radar design, and a full radar based on the design proposed in DOC_01.