The increasing number of orbiting objects necessitates better space situational awareness (SSA), especially beyond low Earth orbit (LEO), where large radar arrays become impractical. Existing deployable antennas are limited in size by launch fairing constraints. In contrast, robotic in-space assembly allows creation of scalable radar apertures exceeding 100 meters.
Combining mechanically stable robotically assembled frameworks with reconfigurable volumetric metamaterials could yield large, adaptable spaceborne radar systems suited for cislunar and deep space surveillance. This approach aims to enhance detection capabilities for small or distant objects beyond current ground-based SSA systems.
Source & further reading
Robotically Assembled Electromagnetic Metamaterials for Long-Range Space Situational Awareness ↗Source published 2026-07-21. This report was prepared with AI assistance from the linked primary-source material. Claims and limitations should be checked against the original announcement or research.