Evaluation criterion of space surveillance sensor scheduling based on relative orbit analysis

The rapid growth of the number of space targets leads to the shortage of sensor observation resources in the space surveillance network. Improving the efficiency of sensor scheduling helps to alleviate the observation pressure of the space surveillance network. In this paper, a unified observation model of space-based sensors and ground-based sensors for space targets is established based on the relative orbit of space targets. Based on the covariance matrix, a criterion function for calculating the scheduling efficiency of space surveillance network sensors is proposed, and the analytical solution of the scheduling criterion function under the assumption of plane circular orbit is given. The analytical solution can be used to analyze the influence of observation geometry, observation accuracy, observation times and other factors on scheduling efficiency. Finally, the influence of observation geometry on radar sensor scheduling efficiency is simulated and analyzed. The simulation results show that the orbit uncertainty decreases with the increase of the observation geometric angle under the same observation resources, therefore the radar sensor scheduling efficiency increases with the increase of the observation geometric angle. This conclusion is applicable to both space-based and ground-based radar sensors.