Performance of space-based radar in the presence of earth clutter

The paper presents some general principles related to the performance of a space-based radar (SBR) using pulse Doppler to suppress the earth clutter. These principles are developed using a heuristic description of clutter as seen from a space-based radar, and illustrated by means of a case study. It is demonstrated that SBR performance varies with look direction and that clear areas exist in the clutter spectrum, where targets can be easily detected. Also, velocity compensation techniques can be employed to enhance detection for certain look directions.