Contracts awarded for the development of enabling technologies under the Earth Observation Service Continuity initiative
For more than 25 years, images from RADARSAT-1, RADARSAT-2 and the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) have been of enormous value to the Government of Canada, providing critical information to ensure the safety and security of Canadians, monitor and protect the environment and the Arctic, and manage our natural resources. The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is looking at ways to ensure continuous access to satellite radar Earth observation imagery beyond the lifetime of the RCM.
In fall , the CSA issued a Request for Proposals inviting industry to propose R&D projects to assess the feasibility and risks of key enabling technologies that might be required for future satellite Earth observation missions. To advance these key technologies, 10 contracts were awarded to Canadian companies, for a total of approximately $6.8 million.
| Company | Amount awarded | Technology | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| MDA Vancouver, British Columbia |
up to $500,000 | Multi-Aperture Exploitation | Radar satellite resolution – the capacity to produce clear images – can be improved by dividing the antenna into multiple smaller antennas and using advance-processing techniques to generate high-quality images. This technique has been proven through satellites that use an antenna divided into two sub-apertures, such as RADARSAT-2. The exact achievable performance as well as potential pitfalls for the use of more than two sub-aperture antennas are being investigated. |
| MDA Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec |
up to $1 million | Multi-Aperture Hardware | The multi-aperture approach enables higher resolution images but requires more power from the antenna to obtain the required image quality. The company is looking into developing gallium nitrate transmitters that will produce the required power at a higher efficiency than the current gallium arsenate panels used on both RADARSAT-2 and the RCM. |
| AstroCom Ottawa, Ontario |
up to $300,000 | Commercial Satellite Relay | An important requirement for the next generation of Canadian satellites is to be able to quickly download data. A constraint for this rapid download is that the satellite needs to be in range of a ground station. The company is evaluating a mitigation method that consists in using laser crosslinks to transfer data to a satellite within reach of a ground station, using it as a relay. The CSA is looking at the feasibility of integrating its next-generation satellites with communications constellations, using that technology. |
| AstroCom Ottawa, Ontario |
up to $238,000 | New technology concepts proposed by Canadian industry to address users' needs | A technology to investigate the use of two satellites to better distinguish open water from new sea ice by observing the same scene within a very short delay. It could assist navigation in Canadian ice-infested waters. |
| C-CORE St. John's, Newfoundland |
up to $238,000 | A new satellite instrument to improve the ability to measure sea ice thickness, providing more accurate information on the effects of climate change and enhancing weather prediction, among other applications. | |
| MDA Vancouver, British Columbia |
up to $1.5 million | Multi-Mission Ordering Planning Tool | Currently the CSA manages a single source of data: its own satellite system, the RCM. As we plan to diversify the sources of data in the future, users' requests will require much more coordination. This tool aims to help identify and prioritize which task is assigned to which system to optimize their use and provide the quickest response to each request. |
| EarthDaily Analytics Vancouver, British Columbia |
up to $750,000 | Autonomous Synthetic Aperture Radar Image Quality Validation Tools | Unlike pictures taken with an optic satellite system, synthetic aperture radar images are generated by interpreting an electromagnetic signal measured by the satellite instrument. Quality control is currently ensured through verification of small subsets of images as well as through users' feedback. As the quantity of data is expected to increase, the CSA is looking at developing a tool that will automatically control their quality and report to users any potential issue. |
| MDA Vancouver, British Columbia |
up to $750,000 | ||
| Calian multiple locations in Canada |
up to $750,000 | Intelligent Early Anomaly Detection and Failure Prediction Support Tools | Tools will be developed to help monitor the satellite telemetry and detect trends or patterns that could generate anomalies or lead to failures so we can better anticipate them. The CSA will detect anomalies and apply correction swiftly so that the satellite remains available for its mission. |
| C-CORE St. John's, Newfoundland |
up to $750,000 |