Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques FHRThe large-scale TIRA (Tracking and Imaging Radar) system developed by Fraunhofer FHR is a key component of German space reconnaissance. As part of the WRIS (Space Identification Sensor) project, TIRA supports the Bundeswehr’s Space Command at the Inter-Agency Space Situational Awareness Center (WRLageZ) based in Uedem. Typical tasks include tracking new systems in Earth orbit, conducting precise technical analyses of operational or malfunctioning satellites, and monitoring the re-entry of critical space objects. In this way, TIRA makes a significant contribution to enabling well-founded and time-critical security-related decisions in the orbital environment.
The creation of the space situational picture includes, among other things, gathering information on space weather, recording traffic and population density in Earth orbits, and even fragmentation events. Detailed analyses of individual space objects are also a key focus. The consolidation of this information at the WRLageZ aims to identify risks early and reliably plan operational measures.
Selected Space Objects in Focus
As part of WRIS, Fraunhofer FHR provides the WRLageZ with in-depth analyses of specific objects. To this end, data collected by the two radars integrated in TIRA (L-band target tracking radar and Ku-band target imaging radar) is evaluated. The full range of WRIS services includes:
- Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) support, i.e., assistance with placing new systems into Earth orbit
- Orbital data analysis
- Technical analysis of operational and malfunctioning satellites
- Re-entry monitoring
- Consulting services
- Training courses and workshops
WRIS Strengthens Space Security
Impressive evidence of WRIS’s significance includes the Fraunhofer FHR’s contributions to supporting the LEOPs of the three Bundeswehr satellites SARah and monitoring the re-entries of the battery pack from the International Space Station (ISS) as well as the Chinese space station Tiangong-1. By providing relevant information on debris clouds following ASATs (anti-satellite weapon tests) conducted by Russia and India, Fraunhofer FHR, leveraging TIRA’s expertise, made valuable contributions to enhancing space safety. These missions demonstrate how crucial precise radar reconnaissance has become for the protection of national and European space infrastructure, while also underscoring WRIS’s potential to sustainably advance future space situational awareness capabilities.