2022-23 Departmental Plan

Result 1 — Canada remains a leading space-faring nation

Through the CSA's leadership in space exploration, Earth observation, investments in STEM educational opportunities, and the development of the Canadian space sector, Canada is committed to remaining a leading space-faring nation and will continue to deliver the benefits of space to Canadians.

In addition to continue to provide critical robotic operations on the ISS with Canadarm2 and Dextre, in 2022–23, the CSA will provide opportunities for industry and academia to perform studies and technology development. These will help define options for Canada's participation in international human exploration initiatives beyond low Earth orbit and for the eventual human exploration of Mars.

The Canadarm3 Phase A contract was announced in December 2020 and will conclude in March 2022. This initial contract with the selected Canadian prime contractor has set both the initial Canadarm3 technical definition and a value proposition to be applied during subsequent development phases. The latter will help maximize the economic impact of this investment under the framework of the Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy, which aims to leverage federal procurement contracts to support job creation, innovation and economic opportunities across the country. Canadarm3 will be a smart next-generation robotic system, building on technologies developed and proven on the ISS. Instrumental in the operations, maintenance, and utilization of the Gateway station, it will open the door for Canadian science and research on and around the Moon, and eventually extend humanity's reach outward to Mars and beyond. This investment also positions Canadian industry as a world leader in space robotics development and operations, to better establish commercial opportunity in this emerging market. In return for our participation in Gateway, NASA has committed to fly two Canadian astronauts into deep space, including one on the Artemis II mission, making a Canadian the first international partner to fly to the Moon.

The CSA's investments in space astronomy and planetary exploration missions continue to provide opportunities for Canadian scientists to participate in international space missions and gain access to scientific data. After a successful launch at the end of 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) will be fully commissioned in 2022–23. The Canadian Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectograph (NIRISS) will enable Webb to become the very first space platform to capture images of distant galaxies and stars dating back to the early days of the universe, and to study the atmospheric composition of exoplanets orbiting distant stars. Canadian astronomers have already been allocated observation time and will be supported by grants. In addition, the CSA will continue to operate the Near-Earth Object Surveillance Satellite (NEOSSat), providing Canada with a dual use orbiting platform for advanced research, tracking, and characterization of objects orbiting Earth, including satellites, space debris and asteroids. In 2022–23, Canadian astronomers will be granted observation time on this unique platform through the NEOSSat Guest Observation Program, enabling scientific research in areas such as near-Earth asteroids, comets, and exoplanets. With regards to planetary exploration, OSIRIS-REx continues its voyage back to Earth, bringing back its precious samples due to reach Earth in September 2023. Ten years since its launch from Earth, the Alpha-Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) on NASA's Curiosity rover continues to operate on the surface of Mars.

The Lunar Surface Exploration Initiative (LSEI) will continue to prepare options for future Canadian contributions to human spaceflight. In 2022–23, the LSEI will aim to identify innovative ways to incentivize the private sector to develop new products and services with the ultimate objective of opening new commercial markets in space exploration. The LSEI will undertake this work via concept studies targeting a wide variety of technical areas to ensure that Canada remains a leader in future space ventures that will come with the potential for an eventual sustainable presence on the lunar surface.

In return for Canada's participation in the Lunar Gateway, the CSA will also be able to contribute to international science and research efforts on the lunar orbiting outpost. In this context, the CSA will finance concept studies to prepare options for Canada's Lunar Gateway platform initial Science and Technology utilization.

The CSA continues to engage young Canadians with the Objective: Moon portfolio of hands-on experiences in every province and territory of Canada. These include partnerships, activities, speaker events, online resources, and targeted initiatives to ensure the participation of groups that are underrepresented in STEM. Grants and contributions will also be awarded to enable innovative ideas from post-secondary institutions, schools, and not-for-profit organizations for the development and delivery of STEM activities focused on lunar exploration topics.

Anchored in the newly released Strategy for Satellite Earth Observation (SEO) and in partnership with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), the CSA will continue to co-lead a whole-of government satellite Earth observation initiative to define strategic investments, flexible programming and strong partnerships with stakeholders from across the Government of Canada as well as industry and academia. Satellite data provides a unique perspective on disasters and is an invaluable tool to save lives and mitigate damage to natural resources and private property. In 2022–23, Canada will continue to demonstrate its expertise by responding to the activations of the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters with data from both RADARSAT‑2 and RCM, to support disaster relief efforts all over the globe.

In 2022–23, the CSA will support the advancement of Earth system science and contribute to the understanding of climate change through ongoing support of Canada's Optical Spectograph and InfraRed Imaging System (OSIRIS) instrument onboard the Swedish Odin satellite and the ongoing support of the SCISAT mission. The OSIRIS mission onboard the Odin satellite will publish a new merged dataset on ozone and update its aerosol dataset, both important atmospheric variables. The OSIRIS datasets advance Earth system science, our understanding of ozone recovery and the Earth's radiative energy budget, and are key to Canada's contributions to the United Nations (UN) Montreal Protocol on monitoring and healing the ozone layer. Since it was launched in 2001, OSIRIS data has been used by over 850 researchers in over 25 countries, resulting in 32 scientific discoveries.

With the objective of contributing to the safety and security of Canadians, the CSA will support 13 Sun-Earth system science research grants to analyze space data, develop new knowledge and improve predictive models of solar storms and space weather in Earth's geospace — the region of near-Earth space comprised of the thermosphere, ionosphere, and magnetosphere.

To maintain space situational awareness in support of satellite operations and contribute to the sustainability of the space environment, the CSA will continue to operate its space debris Conjunction Risk Assessment and Mitigation System (CRAMS), which provides advanced analyses and collision avoidance strategies for close approaches with Canadian satellites, as well as international and national missions, for which the CSA has established partnerships.

In 2022–23, the CSA will continue to implement the Canadian CubeSat Project (CCP), which engages 15 teams from post-secondary institutions in a real space missions by designing and building their own miniature satellites. The satellites will be deployed from the ISS in the second half of 2022. The student teams will then operate their CubeSats and conduct science according to the objectives of their missions.

The stratospheric balloon program, STRATOS will continue to provide Canadian academia, industry and other government departments with the opportunity to test and validate new technologies and perform scientific experiments in a near-space environment, while inspiring and training the next generation of experts. A large stratospheric balloon launch campaign will be conducted at the stratospheric balloon base in Timmins, Ontario.

Through the Flights and Fieldwork for the Advancement of Science and Technology (FAST) initiative, the CSA will award several grants to post-secondary institutions to support pre‑mission research projects that will contribute to new scientific knowledge and space technologies, while providing hands-on experience to the next generation of space professionals in Canada.

In 2022–23, the CSA will continue the development of the Quantum Encryption and Science Satellite (QEYSSat) mission which will demonstrate secure encryption key distribution over long distances using newly developed quantum key distribution technology through a laser link. This new disruptive technology will provide Canadians with more secure communications and position its industry and academia for future opportunities.

By providing access to high-quality scientific data and supporting researchers, the CSA will contribute to science excellence and help maintain Canada's 13th position in international ranking among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations with respect to the average relative citation score of space-related publications.

Result 2 — Space information and technologies improve the lives of Canadians

To take real action in adapting to climate change, access to space data and technology are a game changer for many domains here on Earth. Every day, Canadian satellite information and services are mobilized in all corners of the globe to support maritime surveillance, space surveillance, ecosystems monitoring, environmental monitoring, natural disaster management, security and defence, as well as health-care. The CSA adopts a whole-of-government approach for access to space data, information, and services and encourages the development of space technologies that can be used on Earth or reused in space.

The CSA will continue advancing the High-altitude Aerosols, Water vapour and Clouds (HAWC) capability studies in collaboration with ECCC and the HAWC university consortium. HAWC is the proposed Canadian contribution to NASA's Atmosphere Observing System (AOS) mission that will make unprecedented observations of aerosols, clouds, convection and precipitation. It will deliver critical measurements to support extreme weather prediction, climate modelling, as well as air quality and disaster monitoring (volcanic plumes, wildfire smoke and damaging precipitation).

In 2022–23, the CSA will continue to operate the RADARSAT Constellation Mission RCM in order to meet the requirements for Government of Canada users, industry, academia and international partners. Work will continue with government departments, regulatory organizations, and user communities to increase RCM data access, to augment RCM data services through the vetting process and to maintain the support of existing services to Canadians. Greater access to this data will allow more value-added companies to develop applications and services for Canadians, fostering research and discoveries from academic institutions and strengthening international collaboration. Taking full advantage of the 14 years of RADARSAT‑2 archived data, projected to reach 1 million images in 2022, the CSA will continue to support government departments by providing RADARSAT-2 data and processing services.

The CSA will report on the exploratory work for RCM's successor, under the Earth Observation Service Continuity (EOSC) initiative, setting the foundations for the next phase of investigation in 2022–23. Combining key Canadian industrial capabilities with world class heritage, this significant effort in technology research and development will enhance our understanding of future possibilities, while promoting Canadian innovation. Strategic industrial capabilities and technical leadership will be leveraged through conceptual studies to determine the feasibility of suitable alternatives and address the government's future needs.

In line with the Open Government Directive, the CSA will gradually repatriate long-time series of RADARSAT‑1 data archived on foreign servers and develop a multi-year solution to process the data and make it more accessible to Canadians. The repatriation of RADARSAT‑1 archives will increase the capacity for historical analysis, particularly to support climate change research.

The CSA will continue to work with the Canadian Forest Service, the Canadian Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation and ECCC to initiate the preliminary system definition phase of WildFireSat, an innovative satellite to monitor wildfires. The joint team will plan the use of mission data to produce and disseminate wildfire monitoring products for the use of forest fire management, smoke forecasting and carbon emission monitoring and reporting.

Now that Canada has delivered its contribution to the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) hydrological science satellite, the CSA is focusing on the use of the data to be generated after it is launched — currently planned for late 2022. The data gathered by the SWOT satellite will be provided to scientists at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, ECCC, several Canadian universities and partners in the UK and France. The intent, in combination with oceanographic and hydrological models, is to improve coastal and water-related services in Canada such as forecasts of currents, storm surges and floods. Research is being conducted in the Atlantic waters off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, in the St. Lawrence River, in the lakes and rivers of Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, and in the Pacific waters off the coast of British Columbia.

In 2022–23, the CSA will recommend options for Digital Earth Canada (DEC), which has been proposed as a Canadian Earth observation exploitation platform that could provide an integrated, collaborative and virtual environment. EO and non-EO data, tools, computing power, and EO derived products and applications are brought together to enable federal, provincial and territorial departments, industry and academia, to fully access and exploit EO data, spur innovation, and generate economic benefits.

The CSA continues to meet its obligations to operate Canadian robotics and support science on the ISS aimed at reducing health risks for astronauts during long-term missions. A number of scientific experiments will be conducted on the ISS in 2022–23 including: Vection, Wayfinding, Vascular Aging, SANSORI, CARDIOBREATH, and SpaceHealth, which will study neurological, ocular and cardiovascular risks. Furthermore, science opportunities will be offered to perform research on space health risks, through data and sample mining, research models in laboratory, and spaceflight analogue environments, in order to complement studies performed on the ISS.

The definition phases for a new astronaut health protocol aimed at mitigating the effects of spaceflight on the human body will be completed, which could translate into guidelines for sedentary conditions for people on Earth. The CSA will work with partners to launch collaborative research and development initiatives with the health and biomedical sector, and to undertake the planning of a demonstration of healthcare solutions in a remote Northern and Indigenous community. To this end, in collaboration with the Privy Council Office (PCO), the CSA will continue its work in 2022–23 on the Deep Space Healthcare Challenge, a competition to develop new diagnostic and detection technologies for remote communities in Canada and crews on deep-space missions. The CSA will also collaborate with NASA and PCO, to bring innovative food production technologies to space and to Earth through the Deep Space Food Challenge. Designed to confront the triple challenge of ensuring adequate access to safe, affordable, and nutritious food, the Challenge will help the CSA in developing reliable food systems while ensuring their environmental sustainability, the lowering of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, and the adaptableness to climate change.

In 2022–23, it is expected that 120 services will be offered to Canadians by the various federal departments and agencies that use space data to deliver on their mandates. The services are varied and touch many different fields, such as agriculture, land use, climate, atmosphere, oceans and inland waters, among others. It is also expected that 25 space technologies for use on Earth or re-use in space will result from the CSA's present and past investments.

Result 3 — Canada's investments in space benefit the Canadian economy

In 2022–23, the CSA will continue to use its unique position in the space sector as a vantage point to foster innovation while enabling Canadian innovators and entrepreneurs to take advantage of growth opportunities, creating highly sought-after jobs that strengthen, diversify, and make the Canadian economy more resilient. The CSA will work to increase collaboration to ensure that small and medium enterprises (SME), start-ups and academia are able to collaborate and access technical, scientific and business expertise to support their growth.

Through the STDP funding initiative, the CSA will launch another wave of investments to support the development of Canadian industrial capabilities in space technologies in order to expand the commercial potential of Canadian space companies. Through LEAP, the CSA will continue to help SMEs develop new technologies to be used and tested in lunar orbit and on the Moon's surface in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and health. This will help Canadian enterprises, including SMEs, capture their market share of the developing lunar economy. LEAP will also support the development of the Canadian lunar science community with grant funding through announcements of opportunities.

Through LEAP, Canadian space missions to send robotic rovers and science instruments will be kicked off. The definition phase for an expected launch in 2025–26 of a lunar rover will start in 2022–23. Furthermore, CSA will support Canadian organizations applying under NASA's Payloads and Research Investigations on the Surface of the Moon (PRISM) request for information, which provides the potential for up to two Canadian science instruments to obtain a flight to the Moon.

Support for Canadian innovators that wish to go into business, grow their companies, and bring their innovations to market will be upheld through the Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) program. The CSA will fund the development of prototypes of its first ISC challenge, which focuses on applying AI and big-data analytics to space-related technologies and applications, and announce the projects selected as part of its second ISC challenge, which focus on space exploration-related technologies.

Through the smartEarth initiative's Enabler track, the CSA will continue to fund 38 Canadian companies to increase the commercial and export potential for Canadian space-based applications. Seventeen of them will be financed through the announcement of opportunity Bridging the Information Gap with Space-Based Analytics, with the specific objective of helping the sector capitalize on the data revolution, developing the necessary capabilities to better adapt to the current transformations in the digital marketplace, while the other aims to stimulate capacity development, answering national sustainable development challenges and priorities. The remaining 21 companies will be funded through the announcement of opportunity Canadian Downstream Space Sector Delivering on Canada's Better Future, which aims to support the development of advanced space-based products and solutions in line with national EO challenges and sustainable development priorities. These initiatives will ensure Canadian downstream sector growth, positioning, and competitiveness, which will help secure and maintain highly qualified personnel in the space sector.

The CSA will continue to support the competitiveness and capacity of the Canadian space sector on the international market through the long-standing Canada - European Space Agency (ESA) Cooperation Agreement. In November 2022, Canada and ESA member states will announce new investments during the ESA's Ministerial Council meeting. Investments in selected ESA programs will allow Canadian industry to participate in world-class missions in Earth observation, satellite communications, exploration and technology development.

The CSA's David Florida Laboratory (DFL), a world class provider of testing facilities and services will continue to support the Canadian space sector for assembly, integration, and testing, while the CSA's investments seek to ensure that the Canadian space sector is supported during the ongoing impacts from COVID‑19.

As such, in 2022–23, it is expected that the Canadian space sector will contribute at a level of $2.3 billion to Canada's gross domestic product (GDP) and maintain 9,000 jobs in Canada.