Comparison of Two Algorithms of Searching the Satellite Radar Altimeter Echo

Two algorithms of searching echo-signal of a space-based altimeter are compared. First of them is a conventional one-stage procedure examining time-ambiguity zone in a step-by-step manner using a bank of preassigned number of correlators. An alternative procedure ‒ the two-stage one initially picks up some number of points of ambiguity zone in which signal presence is suspected. These points are afterward tested with better quality to finalize the search with pre-determined reliability. It is shown that both procedures are characterized by comparable durations but the second one is more tolerable concerning changes of the space vehicle orbit altitude during the search process.