[SatNews] The European Space Agency (ESA) has commissioned Indra to design the future radar system for the surveillance of objects close to the Earth, as well as the development of its working prototype of the Space Situational Awareness (SSA).

Indra will also determine its location and develop the simulator of the system. The total amounts to 5.4 million euros. The initiative seeks to increase security of space missions in the event of collisions with orbiting objects, magnetic storms or meteors. The working prototype will prove, in a real scenario, its capacity to detect objects in Low Earth Orbits (LEO) between 200 and 2,000 km of altitude. For this reason, Indra will design one of the most advanced radar systems, capable of operating at such distances. The feasibility study and the tests will continue for two years until 2012. According to the results, the European Space Agency (ESA) will then build the definite detection network. The tests with the prototype will help determine the structure and amount of equipment for costs estimation.

The other two contracts include the development of a radar simulator, which will predict the radar’s system performance and will also be used to optimize its final design. Indra is also studying locations for the surveillance radar in Europe and their final report will assist the ESA with that decision. The project is within the strategy of the European Union to gain further insight of the space environment by proprietary means through the surveillance of nearby orbits and will monitor more distant zones. Knowing the trajectory of orbiting objects accurately is of utmost importance to avoid satellite collisions. The system will also offer detection and followup of other objects coming from outer space, such as meteors. In addition, it will help study space weather as certain phenomena such as solar or magnetic storms affect electronic devices in space and on Earth.