Grants and Contributions

Satellite systems and equipment are designed to work in harsh space environments and extreme launch conditions.

This project will build and test advanced composite materials for lightweight, low-cost space antenna parts. Using an existing type of antenna reflector, this project will improve performance, ensure space-readiness, and solve two key design issues. First, it will use a new type of carbon fiber material to make the reflector less sensitive to the stresses of launch. Second, it will improve the design of the panels used for support so that the reflector can be stiffer, while at the same time being lighter. The ability to make light, high-performance, low-cost reflectors will give Canadian industry a competitive advantage and open up new markets. It also positions Canada to offer state-of-art reliable satellite subsystem parts and products, creating employment opportunities for scientists, engineers, and technologists.

Rovers are expected to play an important role in commercial exploration of the Moon. However, current rover technology is expensive and requires continuous management by operators back on Earth. Using rovers will be more cost-effective if they are able to perform more tasks on their own with more flexible options for the operators that manage them.

This project will develop easy-to-use mission control software to support ongoing, low-cost rover operations and allow rovers to navigate and carry out tasks more independently. The software will be cloud-based to allow commercial space companies, mission operators, and researchers operate frequent, short-duration lunar missions from anywhere on Earth. This project will help to lower the cost of lunar rover missions, making space exploration more accessible a to wider range of Canadian companies. It will eventually allow non-experts, including students and members of the Canadian public, to engage lunar missions more easily.

Large amounts of data move around the world through fiber-optic cables. However, in places where running cables is impractical, satellites are used instead. Optical links provide the critical connections that allow data to move between stations on Earth and satellite constellations in space.

This project will test different approaches to develop a system that can transfer data at rates that are 10 times faster than what is possible with current technologies. The project will answer important questions about how the optical links will function in space, such as under extreme weather conditions and limited electrical power. As a result, the system will be cost-effective, scalable for different data sizes, and space ready. It will position Canada as an important leader in satellite optical communication systems, increase the industry's competitive advantage, and develop highly qualified personnel.

As the commercial space market grows, new systems and technology are needed to launch small satellites and maintain communication links between launch vehicles and ground stations. Current dish-like antennas need to point directly at their target, and are too large and heavy for use on small satellite launch vehicles.

This project will study the potential for a new, low-cost antenna and transceiver that electronically steers radio signals without having to move the antenna. The lightweight, simplified design concept will improve communications from launch pad to low Earth orbit, provide higher data rates, and require less power to operate. This innovative project will position Canadian industry as leaders in space launch systems, offering low cost, mass production of small satellite launch vehicles and communication systems for the emerging commercial market.

Earth observation using constellations of satellites is an emerging market that calls for improved building blocks to capture precise images of Earth's surface at lowest possible cost.

This project targets improvements on three key attributes of a spaceborne precision camera system. A new compact wide-field telescope will demonstrate reduced straylight contamination on the detector. Compact radiometric, spectral and flat fielding calibration unit will be demonstrated for operation in flight. Finally an active secondary mirror will demonstrate an ability to compensate for spacecraft pointing jitters or short duration tracking of ground targets. The results of this project will position Canada to offer low cost, mass production of compact, telescope fore-optics for Earth observation satellite constellations. They will contribute to the global effort by private sector aiming at offering new earth vision-derived digital services (natural disasters, improved farming and pollution control to name a few).

Monitoring global greenhouse gas emissions from space is an important part of the global efforts to curb emissions. Improving the spatial resolution of satellite-based GHG mapping will provide decision makers with more compelling data linked to single emitters.

This project will merge existing commercial Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) technology with innovative optics to dramatically increase the number of measurement point at every orbit while preserving industry leading sensitivity and accuracy. The ideas proposed herein were successfully tested on ground instrument but have yet to find functional implementation in the context of space use. This work targets the development of a sensor for GHGs (or other gases) mapping from orbit that could provide at least one order of magnitude improvement in the number of spatial elements observed at every orbit.

Radiation prediction, monitoring, and protection technologies are an important part of reducing the risk to space crews. Building radiation detectors for human space missions, including the exploration of Mars, is challenging because of strict size, weight, and power limits.

To solve these problems, this project will explore the use of radiation detectors that are much smaller than current technology. The detector materials to be evaluated can more accurately separate different types of radiation found in space. These miniaturized radiation detectors will be useful on all space missions, as well as for defence, security, aerospace, and health applications. This project showcases Canada's role as a global leader in radiation research, both in space and on Earth, and benefits the country through the creation of high-quality jobs.

Robots are used on space missions to assist astronauts with difficult tasks and give them more time for valuable work. To protect astronauts from accidentally being hit with heavy, fast moving machines, space robots are made of lightweight materials and are designed to move slowly. These safety designs make it difficult for robots to do work around humans that requires fast, precise movements.

This project will use robotic arms like the ones used in automotive and medical settings to test how new technology can be used to build higher-performance, lightweight robots that can perform technical tasks safely around people. These improved robots will decrease the time that astronauts spend on maintenance tasks, giving them more time for science. This project will showcase Canadian innovation in space robotics and spin-off technologies for use on Earth and help to establish a robotics cluster in Canada

Spectrometers can be used on satellites to measure greenhouse gas emissions from industrial facilities around the world. Smaller, more accurate spectrometers will lower the cost of these missions.

This project will explore new design concepts for a miniaturized spectrometer that can detect smaller concentrations of greenhouse gases while collecting high-resolution images that make the system less vulnerable to alignment issues or camera flaws. The miniature platform will be designed to meet the size, weight, and power requirements for commercial use on micro- and nanosatellites. The system will be evaluated to identify performance improvements like better communication with other systems, lower production costs, and streamlined product designs that will have no moving parts. This project will give Canadian industry a competitive edge in the $2 billion greenhouse gas measurement market and provide better alternatives to meet customer needs. It will also increase Canadian expertise in the field of optics, atmospheric sciences, artificial intelligence, and Earth observation.

Space debris affects satellite communication systems used for internet and security monitoring as well as satellites used for weather tracking. To avoid damages, future satellite constellations will need innovative imaging technology to detect and track debris against the dark setting of space. The cameras currently in use on satellites are limited to debris detection of large (over 10 cm) or metallic debris.

This project will develop the capacity to support and test an innovative large-format, low-light detector designed to meet the needs of space environment. The low-flux, wide-field imaging solution will detect space debris using high-speed measurements of low-light signals and produce high-quality images. This project will lead to the only space-ready camera capable of detecting all damaging debris, regardless of size, speed or composition – making Canada the leader in the protection of future space instruments.