---
title: "Bistatic Radar Model | Truman DeWalch"
description: "Sensor modeling for space domain awareness at The Aerospace Corporation"
url: "https://trumandewalch.dev/research/bistatic-radar"
route: "/research/bistatic-radar"
---

Industry — Aerospace Corp

# Bistatic Radar Sensor Model

Collection modeling for space domain awareness architectures

**Timeline:** May 2023 – Nov 2025

**Role:** MTS Graduate Intern

**Location:** Northern Virginia / Remote

Separate Tx/Rx geometry for SDA collection, with the bistatic bisector off the baseline.

## Summary

- Bistatic radar sensor modeling for space domain awareness trades.
- Integrated into enterprise architecture analysis with legacy tooling.
- Led a 5-person sub-team delivering mission architecture research.

## Overview

Bistatic radar systems use **separate transmitter and receiver locations**, offering unique advantages for space surveillance: improved stealth (receivers are passive), resistance to jamming, and the ability to detect objects that would be difficult for monostatic systems. At The Aerospace Corporation, I developed sensor models to enable high-level architecture analysis of proposed space domain awareness systems.

The work involved integrating bistatic radar physics into an enterprise-scale collection modeling framework, enabling trade studies across different sensor configurations, orbital regimes, and coverage requirements.

## Technical Contributions

- **Sensor Model Development:** Designed and implemented a bistatic radar sensor model capturing transmit-receive geometry, radar cross-section variations, and atmospheric effects
- **Architecture Integration:** Integrated the model into existing enterprise mission architecture analysis framework for end-to-end trade studies
- **Legacy Software Interface:** Bridged multiple legacy software packages to enable seamless data flow through the analysis pipeline
- **Trade Study Support:** Enabled quantitative comparison of surveillance architecture alternatives across different threat scenarios

## Leadership

Beyond technical contributions, I led a **5-person Systems Engineering Sub-Team**, coordinating technical efforts across mission architecture research deliverables. This involved:

- Defining sub-team work packages and tracking deliverables
- Facilitating technical discussions and design reviews
- Coordinating with other sub-teams to ensure interface compatibility
- Presenting results to program stakeholders

**Team Size:** 5 engineers

## Skills Developed

### Radar Systems

Bistatic geometry, radar equation, propagation effects, detection thresholds

### Systems Engineering

Architecture trades, requirements flow-down, interface control, verification

### Team Leadership

Task coordination, progress tracking, stakeholder communication, technical mentoring

### Enterprise Software

Large-scale simulation frameworks, legacy integration, configuration management

## Tools & Technologies

Python · Radar Modeling · Systems Engineering · Mission Architecture · STK · Jira · Confluence

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