Rumore | ESA Space Solutions

Objectives of the service

RUMORE provides intelligence on Radio Frequency Emitters, including their location and waveform. These are extracted from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images by RUMORE. The waveforms can be matched and identified with a radar emitter database (REDB) of known transmitter types, within in the same spectral domain.

Signals generated by ground transmitters are typically considered as Interferences that degrade the quality of the SAR data, hence as far as possible removed. RUMORE focuses on the information content that can be derived from such signals, when properly identified and characterized.

Various products and services that can be offered based on this concept:

Databases of known RF systems, including their parameters and name / type.
Databases of known RD transmitters, including their location, period of service, name / type.
Maps of electromagnetic pollution at different frequencies.
Regular updates of the mentioned databases / maps.
Software systems allowing the creation / update of the mentioned databases /maps, based on archive and / or newly acquired SAR data.

Users and their needs

Who benefits from Rumore:

Government and Security: Ensure national security by understanding the deployment and migration of radar systems across borders.
Defense & Military: Monitor adversary radar movements and detect upgrades in air defense systems for proactive countermeasures
Intelligence Agencies: Analyze historical radar system trends for strategic planning and to improve situational awareness.
Private Sector and SAR Satellite Operators: Provide unique insights into aerospace, telecommunications, or infrastructure Projects where radar systems play a key role.

Organisations that can benefit from Rumore: National Governments, Supranational organisations and Institutional Agencies.

Institutional Agencies: Frontex, SATCEN, EMSA, EDA
Security Agencies: NCIA, NATO, COECSW, Hybrid CoE,
National Agencies: All EU, NATO and democratic allied nations. E.g. Italy, Germany UK, Sweden, Austria, Netherlands, France, US

Service/ system concept

From Public, Commercial or Classified SAR images, RUMORE will Detect, Geolocate and Identify Radio Frequency Emitters.

What Rumore offers

Historical Analysis: Track historical radar deployments and system upgrades to understand long-term trends and strategic shifts.
Real-Time Monitoring: Identify and monitor radar systems in real-time to respond to emerging threats or opportunities faster.
Geolocation Insights: Pinpoint locations of radar systems to enhance intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations.

Other services and products

Databases of known RD transmitters, including their location, period of service, name & type
Maps of electromagnetic pollution at different frequencies
Regular updates of the RF databases & maps
Software systems allowing the creation & update of the mentioned databases & maps, based on archive or newly acquired SAR data.

RUMORE: Detecting, Geolocating, Identifying Radio Frequency Emitters in SAR Imagery

Detect RF signal
Remove and Clean SAR Imagery
Geolocate RF Emitter
Extract Waveform
Identify and Match
Build Geolocation Database

Space Added Value

Rumore leverages a wide range of SAR data from both public and commercial space assets. Rumore is an opportunistic product that maximizes the value of SAR imagery originally acquired for ISR or other purposes.

Spaceborne SAR: Rumore operates effectively across all SAR bands, including C, X, L, P, and Ka. Its capability has been successfully demonstrated with data from various platforms. By combining data from multiple providers within the same frequency band, Rumore enhances geolocation accuracy. Additionally, using different frequency bands helps to uncover more detailed insights on cross-band emitters and identify various types of RF emitters.
Airborne SAR: Rumore can analyse RF interference in airborne SAR systems and is designed for deployment at the edge, allowing for flexible and in-flight processing.
Passive SAR: Rumore also supports passive SAR data acquisition, which holds significant future potential, as it allows for continuous monitoring of RF emitters worldwide without degrading the SAR system's performance.

Rumore’s advantages is the near-instant availability of data, with access to SAR imagery within minutes, compared to the several hours required by other spaceborne systems. Compared to terrestrial or airborne systems, Rumore offers immediate, global coverage, making it highly effective for applications requiring real-time geospatial awareness.

Current Status

Rumore Feasibility Study has shown that there is a commercially viable market for the SAR RF technology, demonstrated by the high interest shown by the various end-user communities and engaging exchange with them. In addition, it provided technical validation of the Passive-SAR Mode, receive-only mode, validated through rigorous testing. Showcasing, that the system can operate effectively in this mode, broadening the flexibility of RUMORE’s capabilities.

Rumore successfully engaged with a significant portion of its target audience, including key stakeholders within various European Union (EU) agencies and national organizations. Rumore established connections with 18 such agencies, as well as with seven satellite operators. These relationships have been initiated and will be nurtured through direct engagement at prominent industry events, such as the European Conference on Synthetic Aperture Radar (EUSAR), the Geospatial World Forum, InterGEO, and the Defense Geospatial Intelligence conference. In addition to event-based networking, outreach has also been conducted through web meetings and personal visits to relevant partners.

In collaboration with SAR operators, RUMORE is set to evolve into a commercial service, offering institutions and national agencies vital insights into RF emitters worldwide. It unlocks untapped revenue opportunities for SAR operators, and by leveraging passive SAR technology it maximizes the potential of unused satellite capacity.