Ventspils University of Applied Sciences Engineering Research Institute "Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre" (VUAS VIRAC) planned - prepared Latvian Council of Science (LCS) grant application No. Izp-2020/2-0101 "„The application of the forward scatter radar method for the detection of space objects” (FSR) has been highly valued and financially approved by the LCS decision on 9 November, 2020.                                                                                                                 

The goal of the project is to develop a methodology that, by combining the effect of radio wave scattering with radar VLBI technology, would be able to detect asteroids, comets and space debris approaching the Earth in the nearby Earth space. The proposed new scientific approach will provide an opportunity to obtain unique results obtained with radar detection techniques using bi-static systems. The advantage of the proposed methodology is that it can detect space objects regardless of their shape and material.                                                                                                                                                                                                     

During the project, the practical application of the developed method will be studied, which determines the coordinates of the observed object with very high accuracy. The verification of the methodology will include the calibration of the VLBI complex using both natural radio sources and artificial highly orbital satellites. The developed method will be applied by observing the objects of the nearby Earth space with the VIRAC radio telescope complex, thus practically evaluating its efficiency. The developed method will be applied in systems that identify space threats and in tasks related to the organization of space traffic at an ever-increasing number of objects.                                                                                                                                 

The project activities will be implemented during the time period from 1.12.2020. to 31.12.2021, total funding is EUR 100 389,00.  5 researchers will be involved in the project, the scientific supervisor is Nikolai Dugin, a leading researcher at the Nizhny Novgorod Radiophysical Research Institute. He is the author of the new methodology and has written more than 230 scientific publications and has competence in the project research directions.