Call for Ideas - Science and technology small payloads for space missions
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A. Overview
Notice Type: Call for Ideas (CFI)
Title: Call for Ideas - Science and technology small payloads for space missions
Date: Continuous open application
Target audience: Canadian post-secondary institutions who are developing small space payloads
B. Introduction
This is an Invitation to Canadian post-secondary institutions to submit ideas for science and technology development-related payloads, dedicated for small space missions. The CSA will gather your valuable input to create a pool of space payload ideas for various initiatives to meet future mission needs.
The CFI is continuously open. At the same time, there are specific cut-off dates for specific opportunities. Please consult this page regularly to find out about open opportunities.
Recent trends have shown that developing smaller spacecrafts, such as nanosats and miniaturizing technologies, greatly increases the capacity to access space to perform low-Earth orbit missions and to provide a low-cost option for deep space exploration, up to the Moon, Mars, and even further, as the technologies progress.
The Canadian Academic community has proven to be a great source for space mission ideas. For instance, through the Canadian CubeSat Project, 14 small satellite space missions were conceived, launched and deployed into Low-Earth
Orbit in the recent years, targeting astronomy, space environment, earth observation and novel technology demonstration.
Selected ideas will be assessed according to the criteria specific to each opportunity and for their:
- Innovation and feasibility
- Commercial, strategic and technological relevance
- Performance outcomes and impacts
- Direct or indirect business opportunity for the Canadian industry
We are especially interested in ideas related to:
- Earth observation capabilities
- AI-enabled space systems
- Astronomy and planetary science investigation
- Future secure communications using disruptive innovations in space
- Climate change data using space-based assets
- Space debris mitigation technology
- Technology for the reduction of light pollution and electromagnetic emissions
- Remote medicine and health care
- Generic spacecraft technology (e.g. propulsion, power, etc.)
C. Idea Submission
To propose an idea, you are requested to submit a White Paper questionnaire using the online form:
Submissions should contain enough information to enable an initial assessment of the proposed activity by CSA technical experts.
In preparing a submission, you should therefore aim to:
- Make a clear statement of the problem to be solved,
- Identify the application area and corresponding business domain for the idea if applicable (e.g. Earth observation capabilities, Astronomy and planetary science investigation, etc.),
- Quantify all the expected technical benefits (e.g. higher performance, lower complexity, reduced test effort, etc.) both direct and indirect (i.e. at spacecraft platform, payload, satellite, ground segment, or end-to-end system levels),
- Highlight the proposed technology, technique, or process that will help realise the identified objectives,
- Describe the current level of technological maturity,
- Discuss the perceived level of innovation (i.e. does the idea represent a major breakthrough or a progressive evolution?),
- Identify which Industrial and Institutional groups could implement an operational solution or might be interested to provide requirements and user needs, or operational, application, or technological constraints,
- Reference any relevant work previously undertaken (by the CSA, other public agencies or bodies, or through private funding),
- Suggest the required budget and development duration,
- Identify the major risks and potential mitigation actions.
Guidelines for the submission of the white paper are found in Annex A.
D. Creation of a Pool of Space Payload Ideas
Eligible Space Payload Ideas will be included in a pool of ideas. If, in the future, an idea meets the needs of a specific mission, applicants will be contacted for discussion and clarification of their white paper and asked to fill a dedicated form when the idea is deemed suitable.
Selected applicants will then be asked to enter into an agreement with the CSA outlining the activities of the mission, as well as each party's role and responsibilities.
Please note that applying to this CFI does not prevent you from submitting your proposal as part of other CSA funding programs or opportunities, such as the FAST initiative or any other upcoming Announcement of Opportunity (AO), unless otherwise specified.
Featured Opportunities
This Call for Ideas remains open on a continuous basis to receive small payload ideas. However, the CSA may occasionally post featured opportunities with a time-limited application. The CSA reserves its right to contact organizations that have previously submitted ideas prior to the posting of any opportunity, where such ideas correspond to the criteria of a featured opportunity.
The section below lists current and past specific opportunities:
1. Educational CubeSat Open source (ECO-I) - CLOSED
ECO-I is a pilot initiative developed under the Space Science and Technology Directorate. It proposes a complete end-to-end mission on a 6U CubeSat platform, from pre-project phase to satellite operations, including payload development and launch. The main goal is to provide recurrent CubeSat platform missions for the future needs of the government of Canada and academic (ECO-II, III, IV…) with ECO-I as its first pilot iteration. The intention is to make the technical documents available, during and after the project, to academia and industry as open source.
General Terms and Conditions
Information collected in this CFI is for planning purposes only and cannot be construed as intent to issue announcement of opportunities, grants, contributions, Request for Proposals (RFP) or any other agreement from the CSA. All the information provided in response to this CFI is non-binding.
This CFI must in no way be considered as authorization by the CSA for applicants to undertake any work, which would result in costs to the CSA. Applicants are fully responsible for all, and any expenses incurred in connection with the preparation and submission of their response to this CFI.
Information collected by the CSA in this process will be treated in accordance with applicable legislation, including the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act.
Applicants agree to hold harmless and discharge the CSA and the Government of Canada from any and all liability for claims, losses, damages or expenses arising from their response to this CFI, as well as personal injury or death, loss or damage to property, or allegedly caused by an applicant, its shareholders, members, directors, officers, employees, contractors or volunteers, as applicable, when carrying out work related to their payload development.
The CSA and the Government of Canada will not be liable to the applicants, their shareholders, members, directors, officers, employees, contractors or volunteers, as applicable, for any third party claims, lawsuits, demands or actions.
Applicants must own all intellectual property rights required for their payload proposal or be authorized to use them in connection with their payload proposal. Circumstances may arise that require this CFI to be delayed or canceled. Such delay or cancellation shall be within the full discretion of the CSA. Applicants accept any and all risk of damage or loss due to such delay or cancellation.
Contact
If you have any questions, please Contact us.
Annex A
Guidelines For the Submission of a White Paper
To submit your White Paper, please follow these steps:
- Request the creation of an account by clicking on the Electronic Proposal Portal. Please note the following details:
- In the "Proposal title" field, please use the following naming convention: MISSION TITLE – ORGANIZATION NAME.
- In the "Representative" section, please include the information of the duly authorized representative of your organization.
- In the "Applicant" section, please include the principal investigator's information.
- Allow up to 48 hours for the CSA to send you an email confirming your account creation as well as instructions (User Guides) and the appropriate links.
- Complete and submit the White Paper Form, the link to which will be sent by email once your account has been created.
If the applicant seeks to be considered in the evaluation process of a particular mission, all documents must be received by the CSA within the prescribed checkpoint deadline.
Annex B
I. Mission Phases
Phase "0" is the "Mission Definition Phase" during which, based on Mission Objectives and Users' Needs, all mission definition activities are performed, and Mission Requirements are developed.
Phase "A" is the "System Definition Phase" during which the system conceptual design, the System Requirements, the ConOps and the Operations Requirements are developed.
Phase "B" is the "Preliminary Design Phase" during which all system requirements definition activities are completed, along with the development of the initial design and verification activities.
Phase "C" is the "Detailed Design Phase" during which all the subsystem requirements and unit specifications definition activities, all the design and justification activities, all the verification and qualification activities, as well as the planning of production and verification activities to be performed in the next phase are completed.
Phase "D" is the "Manufacturing, Assembly, Integration and Test (AIT) and Launch Preparation Phase". It includes manufacturing, assembly, integration and testing of the spacecraft and the ground segment. This phase also includes the development of operational procedures, the training of operations and maintenance personnel for phase E, the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) and commissioning of the system.
Phase "E" is the "Operations Phase" during which the system is used in routine operations. It starts after the spacecraft is fully commissioned, with all initial anomalies, defects, etc. resolved.
Phase "F" is the "Disposal Phase" during which all activities required for the safe final decommissioning and disposal of mission assets, including earth orbiting assets and archived data are completed.