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The Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) is a new low frequency interferomericradio telescope. The MWA is the low frequency precursor to the Square KilometreArray (SKA) and is the first of three SKA precursors to be operational,supporting a varied science mission ranging from the attempted detection of theEpoch of Reionisation to the monitoring of solar flares and space weather. Weexplore the possibility that the MWA can be used for the purposes of SpaceSituational Awareness (SSA). In particular we propose that the MWA can be usedas an element of a passive radar facility operating in the frequency range 87.5- 108 MHz (the commercial FM broadcast band). In this scenario the MWA can beconsidered the receiving element in a bi-static radar configuration, with FMbroadcast stations serving as non-cooperative transmitters. The FM broadcastspropagate into space, are reflected off debris in Earth orbit, and are receivedat the MWA. The imaging capabilities of the MWA can be used to simultaneouslydetect multiple pieces of space debris, image their positions on the sky as afunction of time, and provide tracking data that can be used to determineorbital parameters. Such a capability would be a valuable addition toAustralian and global SSA assets, in terms of southern and eastern hemisphericcoverage. We provide a feasibility assessment of this proposal, based on simplecalculations and electromagnetic simulations that shows the detection ofsub-metre size debris should be possible (debris radius of >0.5 m to ~1000 kmaltitude). We also present a proof-of-concept set of observations thatdemonstrate the feasibility of the proposal, based on the detection andtracking of the International Space Station via reflected FM broadcast signalsoriginating in south-west Western Australia. These observations broadlyvalidate our calculations and simulations.

On the detection and tracking of space debris using the Murchison Widefield Array. I. Simulations and test observations demonstrate feasibility