RADARSAT Constellation: A major milestone reached
After building and testing the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) for more than five years, MDA, the Prime Contractor for the RCM, safely delivered the third and final spacecraft to its California-based sister company SSL on , in preparation for launch.
As you can imagine, transporting satellites over such long distances between two countries is no easy task. It requires lots of paperwork and intricate logistics. The process begins well before each spacecraft is packed and loaded onto the truck, which is a two-day affair. A customs officer even needs to be present when the container is being closed and sealed with anti-tampering devices.
Congratulations to the joint CSA-MDA team for achieving this important milestone! We would also like to thank the 125 suppliers across Canada and others across the globe who played a part in the RCM project.
- Departure:
- MDA facilities, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec
- Destination:
- SSL, Palo Alto, California
- Distance travelled:
- 4905 km
- Travel time:
- 7 days
- Launch date:
- Vehicle:
- SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket
Members of the MDA-CSA team who worked on the RCM pose in front of the container that houses the third spacecraft before it left the Montreal area on . (Credit: CSA)
The third RCM spacecraft, in its shipping container, is carefully being lowered on the platform of the delivery truck. (Credit: CSA)