Grants and Contributions

Mission Control proposes to develop an AutoNav system to enable continuous autonomous rover driving at a speed of 1km/h. AutoNav is composed of a flight and ground segment: a rover sensor and compute module hosting Xiphos’ and Mission Control’s suite of navigation algorithms, and mission operations software leveraging Mission Control’s Spacefarer TM product. AutoNav will be developed and tested to TRL 6 on rover prototypes in representative lunar lighting and terrain at Mission Control’s indoor high-fidelity Moonyard facility.

Xiphos Systems Corporation will develop and qualify the Q9, the flagship model for Xiphos’ family of high-performance and low size, weight, and power (SWaP) COTS-based processors. It will leverage the highest performance, most robust multi-processor system on a chip (MPSoC) to date, utilizing Xiphos’ reliable space architecture to handle applications with the highest processing, data distribution, and storage requirements. The scale and rapid deployment timelines make standardized, flexible commercial products like the Q9 critical to the Canadian and international space industry.

The primary objective of the project is to adapt QEYnet’s existing terrestrial QTx design for use in space. Over the course of the project, QEYnet will modify the design of the QTx, manufacture an engineering model system, verify its performance, and subject it to a series of tests.

The Pulsar Career Launchpad will be the first space education program of its kind in Atlantic Canada, educating students of all backgrounds to better serve the diverse needs of the space industry. Unlike many space programs, which recruit students primarily from computer science or engineering programs, the Pulsar Institute will recruit 50 students from all post-secondary backgrounds, including commerce, the humanities, social sciences, and trades in addition to students in science and engineering programs. In the ever-growing space industry, and in supporting the CSA in prioritising innovation and industrial capabilities, the Pulsar Career Launchpad will engage with a relatively untouched demographic of students interested in the space sector to contribute to the ever-expanding space ecosystem, potentially resulting in a boost to economic growth and job opportunities within the industry.

This project is a STEM internship opportunity for post-secondary Canadian students of underrepresented groups to advance their knowledge of space health research. Trainees will be investigating space anemia using MRI and ultrasound measures, gas chromatograph carbon monoxide measures, and clinical and laboratory markers of hemolysis. Trainees will measure the vertebral fat fraction of the lumbar spine and calcaneus, and anthropomorphic measures, iron concentration, shear-wave elastography, and perfusion/diffusion ratios of the spleen and liver, using ITK-snap and in-house developed MATLAB software. Trainees will also measure ambient and alveolar air samples using gas chromatography and will analyze the data under the supervision of the team’s statistician to measure the effect of space and various countermeasures on space anemia, and to identify sex-differences. Through these proposed activities, trainees will have the opportunity to acquire hands-on knowledge and experience related to space health research. They will form partnerships and be directly mentored by prominent scientists in the space sector.

Reaction Dynamics will be developing space mobility solutions based around a novel hybrid rocket engine technology, enabling Reaction Dynamics to sell launch services and dedicated orbital transfer vehicles at a fraction of the cost of competitors. The focus of this project is to support this effort by developing and demonstrating a lightweight, large-size composite propellant tank. This project will build on the previous work done on composite pressure vessels, culminating in a full scale experimentally demonstrated design.

The proposed project advances Wyvern’s proprietary deployable optics technology wherein optical components of an Earth observation (EO) payload are stowed compactly on launch and unfurled in orbit. The smaller, lighter resultant payload minimizes cost of launch. This enables cost-efficient collection of high-quality hyperspectral imagery – imagery with a large number of bands – of the Earth. Project objectives include design, test, and characterization of lightweight composite material mechanisms for deployment of optical surfaces and accompanying baffling. This project will improve the space-readiness of these components aimed for use in a future generation of Wyvern satellites.

Mission Control proposes a new AI-integrated image processing system that will help spacecraft perform tasks autonomously and safely in these complex environments. The advancement of computer vision and autonomy algorithms for use with wide-angle field of view cameras will advance Canada’s leadership in space robotics, autonomous spacecraft, and safety in robotics operations, opening new capabilities for spacecraft to support our livelihood and economy on and off Earth.

Reaction Dynamics (RDX) is developing a hybrid rocket engine that will power a low cost, eco-friendly, orbital launch vehicle. A key part of this endeavour is the development of a carbon neutral fuel for the rocket engine. The following project has for main goal the selection of a fuel mixture that will maximize performance, while being made of bioderived polymers. Of key interest are determining the thermal, mechanical, and transport properties (specific heat, heat of combustion, thermal conductivity, strength, etc), that are required for best performance in RDX’s engines. Then, working with a bioderived polymer supplier, RDX will manufacture a fuel with net-zero emissions and test it in a demonstrator rocket engine.

The project objectives are to perform a proof-of-concept and advance the development through hardware prototyping and software development of the next generation high performance single board processor platform that will deliver enhanced processing capabilities, advanced AI/ML processing, while improving performance gain and fault tolerance at low power. The expected outcome is a reference design serving as basis to build the next generation high performance processor platform that would be integrated into MDA’s future satellite.