Grants and Contributions

GALAXIA’s MÖBIUS Satellite Constellation is the first pay-per-use Earth Observation (EO) platform. This constellation of software defined nanosatellites will enable businesses of any size to avoid the obstacles of entering the space sector by offering an intelligent and adaptable satellite service at a reasonable cost.

The MÖBIUS Constellation will host an array of powerful and versatile space sensors on a shared-access basis. The highly configurable system allows platform users to deploy, scale, and modify proprietary software on the constellation while in orbit. Advanced edge compute technology enables sensor data to be acquired and processed in real-time, preventing data delivery delays for the end-user. The pay-per-use pricing model creates an affordable EO solution which ensures that customers only pay for what they use.

The proposed technology demonstration aims to launch a binary mission consisting of a single hub and spoke in order to demonstrate and test the capabilities of the hub and spoke relationship aspect of the MÖBIUS constellation in space. The technology demonstration will help GALAXIA to push the limits of MÖBIUS Software Defined Satellites. GALAXIA will further work with its industry and government partners, both from Canada and abroad, to fly their solutions onboard MÖBIUS in space. GALAXIA has a vast and growing portfolio of industry and government partners from energy to aquaculture to ocean and defence that are working with us to develop powerful applications and demonstrate them during this mission.

Applicants with a design for a remote healthcare technology concept were invited to apply to the Challenge. After competing in Stage 2 of the Challenge as a semi-finalist, the recipient was selected as a finalist for a $350,000 cash prize.

To optimize, consolidate, and expand the network of ground-based instruments deployed across Canada in order to make Canada a key partner in international space missions for increased space weather understanding. The instruments will collect auroral images, which will be openly available with minimal delay to Canadian and international scientists. This data will help better understand space weather phenomena, leading to an increased resilience of the Canadian critical infrastructure.

Wobbly legs, dizzy spells and even fainting experienced by astronauts on return to Earth are serious health and safety concerns. While a major part of this is the loss of the effect of gravity on the body, another may be related to being isolated in a small group. This results in stress which could result in reduced quality of life and health. This is not unlike what many of us experienced during the pandemic lock down. The HERA facility allows us to study how posture and cardiovascular function are affected in isolation to better protect astronauts and isolated older persons.

This project aims to advance the state of Reaction Dynamics’ (RDX) proprietary hybrid rocket technology for the production of an orbital transportation system. The project will focus on providing a technology demonstration of RDX’s orbital hybrid engine (RE-20X) in an in-flight configuration. The flight demonstration includes the key hybrid rocket technologies achieving in-space flight capability. Objectives of this project include: validation to TRL 7 of the fluid systems, hybrid thrust chamber, and avionics control of the propulsion system. Activities supporting the objectives include: integrating the hybrid engine, modifying and integrating the avionics, adapting the fluid systems, and performing an integrated stage test. Reaction Dynamics is in a unique position with respect to this project as being itself a launch provider. The demonstration aims for commercial orbital launches using the demonstrated systems and rapid growth.

Rock chemistries measured on Mars essentially represent their integrated histories and include contributions from
their igneous starting materials and possibly include sedimentary processes or secondary alteration. Lastly, airfall
dust variably covers rock surfaces. This proposal addresses three of these possible contributions (dust, igneous
precursor, and secondary alteration) to rock compositions analyzed by the mars 2020 rover in Jezero Crater by
micro-textural geochemical and mineralogical data. These studies will aid in achieving the Mars 2020 mission goals
of assessing the Jezero rocks for potential habitability for endolithic lithotrophs and to aid in sample selection.

Decreased foot sole skin input significantly reduces lower limb muscle activity, affecting balance and navigation in our environment. The research team has shown that short duration space flight alters the sensitivity of these foot sole skin receptors. These changes were significantly correlated to deficits in balance control. The current Head Down Bed Rest model isolates the impact of body unloading as a mechanism for these sensory changes. The research team aims to understand how the unloading triggers changes in skin feedback and whether countermeasures will reduce or eliminate these changes. This work will have a major impact on astronaut health and mobility and has significant implications for healthy aging on Earth.

The Achilles tendon is critical to walking, yet can be impaired after long period of immobility or lack of gravity, in space or on earth. Our study aims to investigate whether artificial gravity can reduce the effect from lack of gravity on the Achilles tendon, and explore whether male or female respond differently to artificial gravity.

Muscle wasting occurs in consequence to pathological conditions, including aging (sarcopenia). In space, healthy astronauts experience severe wasting of the anti-gravity muscles, the muscles that are normally engaged on Earth to maintain posture. Adjunct therapies are required to mitigate the risk of muscle wasting to enable human exploration of space. In this proposal, the research team use genetic tools in the mouse to reveal how protein synthesis, a major determinant of muscle mass, is remodeled in aging mice. Understanding how protein synthesis is remodeled under conditions of muscle wasting on Earth and in space is the first step towards identifying drug targets.

Following a space mission, astronauts experience severe bone thinning and increased risks of fracture when back on Earth. This bone anomaly is due to the exposure to an environment with reduced gravitational forces, namely microgravity. The aim of this study is to reproduce the microgravity environment on Earth using a ground-based instrument. Researchers will expose fish larvae to a simulated microgravity environment and analyse the effects on bone cells in the skeleton. The counter measure of vibration will also be examined separately and in combination with microgravity. The objectives of the study are to understand the cellular responses to these treatments in order to understand the microgravity induced bone loss observed in astronauts and to understand how to reduce these effects with vibration exposures. Fish bones strongly resemble human bones, in that the same cells are present, therefore these results will be relevant to humans.