Radar Cross-Section (RCS)

Radar Cross-Section (RCS) is an effective area (in m²) that quantifies how much radar energy an object reflects back toward the receiver. It depends on the object's physical size, shape, surface material, and orientation relative to the radar. The ISS has an RCS of approximately 400 m², while a 10 cm debris fragment might have an RCS of 0.01 m². The US Space Surveillance Network can detect objects with an RCS as small as 0.005 m² using the Space Fence. RCS is crucial for cataloguing — objects with smaller RCS are harder to detect and track.