Abstract: Structural improvement for, and method of, achieving radar cross section augmentation of a conical reentry space vehicle decoy having a dielectric heatshield by structuring the base of the decoy to meet certain conditions. Augmentation is achieved by structuring the decoy to have at the base a reflecting step with a 90 degree angle formed by the internal surface of heatshield and the surface of the base portion of the heatshield, where the dielectric constant of the heatshield is in a range of values predetermined by use of the equation: .epsilon..gtoreq.2(1+tan .alpha.)+tan.sup.2 .alpha., where .epsilon.=the dielectric constant of the heatshield, and .alpha.=the half angle cone of the conical decoy. Any incident radar signal impinging in a nose-on direction upon the external surface of the heatshield enters the heatshield, is completely double reflected within the reflecting step of the heatshield, and is re-directed out of the heatshield and in the opposite direction (i.e.

Abstract: An improvement to a reentry vehicle of the type which does not have a metallic substructure contiguous to the internal surface of the porous, dielectric heatshield thereof, whereby the radar cross section signature in the "nose-on" aspect region of the reentry vehicle can be controlled, individualized, and otherwise modified to confuse and/or to deceive the hostile tracker thereof. The improvement comprises, in essence, of a plurality of zones which are made of electrically conductive material and which are disposed on, and are fixedly positioned partially within (i.e., partially penetrate), the porous dielectric non-ablating internal surface layer of the heatshield by use of vacuum metal diffusion.