Grants and Contributions

The project aim is to develop innovative space technology, specifically to develop and validate radiation-hardened RISC-V (Reduced Instructions Set Computing) microcontrollers. The microcontroller is based on an open-source RISC-V structure and will be fabricated with a 22nm FDSOI (Fully Depleted Silicon-on-Insulation) CMOS (Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) technology to achieve high-speed and low-power performance. During the development of the project, training of Highly Qualified Personnel (HQPs) will be emphasized. The project targets on developing core radiation tolerance technologies for future spacecraft missions and can improve on-board computing capabilities.

The Canadian federal government has announced that Canada will be a major international partner in the NASA Atmosphere Observing System (AOS) satellite mission through the contribution of a system of three innovative satellite instruments collectively called HAWC (High-altitude Aerosol, Water Vapour and Clouds). One of these three satellite instruments is called SHOW (Spatial Heterodyne Observations of Water). This project aims to develop a dedicated balloon-borne SHOW (Spatial Heterodyne Observations of Water) instrument and demonstrate the utility of this prototype for HAWC satellite mission validation with a test flight on a stratospheric balloon. This project will enable the training of several highly qualified personnel (HQP). SHOW as part of the HAWC Mission will advance understanding of how water vapour is evolving in response to climate change and the impact of that change on weather climate.

The proposed Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) system is a forward-looking initiative with a dual purpose: to enhance satellite communication capabilities and bolster the ability to detect and manage space debris. The main goal is to develop a sophisticated ISAC system that utilizes cutting-edge and dynamic transmitter technologies, allowing efficient spectrum usage and flexibility. Anticipated outcomes include the optimization of transmitter structures, the refinement of communication protocols for dynamic scenarios, and the creation of reliable hardware systems. Simultaneously, the project prioritizes student training, fostering a collaborative and supportive research environment.

This project aims to develop, and field test a prototype of a novel ice melt probe system to access the shallow subsurface ice on the icy moons and retrieve meltwater samples that will be analyzed by three instruments. This project will provide excellent training and mentoring to Canadian HQP through synergistic interactions within a multidisciplinary team with integrated project components including site characterization, instrument development and the advancement of new technologies, testing in high fidelity analogue field sites, and determining pathogenicity risk assessments of Mars Sample Return (SMR).

The “Innovative Measurements of Auroral Geophysics for Education and Research” (IMAGER) project’s purpose is to demonstrate the capability of a CubeSat-borne mini plasma imager (MPI) to measure ionospheric winds and temperatures for future auroral science and space weather satellite missions, while training Canadian students in the skills needed to invent new scientific instruments and to carry out space physics research. IMAGER’s main objectives are to upgrade the MPI’s charged-particle sensor to increase sample rate and mitigate supply-chain risks; to fly the imager on a suborbital sounding rocket and a CubeSat to prove its measurement performance; to obtain new measurements of ionospheric ion drift and temperature.

This project aims to increase the technology readiness level (TRL) of the Search Coil Magnetometer (SCM) and of the high-energy particle microburst detector in order to qualify the use of both instruments on future spacecraft. The second goal is to foster the creation of highly qualified Canadian personnel by providing an end-to-end space-like mission for students to acquire hands-on experience with space sector technologies. The key advantage of PEPPER-X to Canadians is the strengthening of Canada’s national position in the global space economy. This is achieved through the maturation of leading-edge instrumentation, which has a clear path to future collaboration on international partnership projects, and through the incubation of new talent in a robust academic setting.

The main objective of the project is to investigate metal-fuel combustion using a microgravity platform on board of the Falcon-20 parabolic aircraft, where the effects of particle settling, and natural convection are suppressed. Through this microgravity research, critical understanding on metal flame combustion can be achieved by investigating its propagation limit, and the understanding is improved with complementary ground-based research that examine additional parameters, such as burning velocity, flame temperature, and combustion products. In the present project, it is expected that new unique characteristics of metal combustion will be discovered through examining a wide range of fuel concentrations in at least two different particle size distributions. Metal-fuel combustion technologies are also essential in transition to a carbon-free society in Canada through using metal powders as sustainable carbon-free energy carriers.

This project will leverage Canadian expertise to develop new methods to identify and characterize novel loud gravitational-wave transients and mitigate LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) mission detector glitches. Canadian researchers will integrate these new methods into an existing “global fit” of many simultaneous expected LISA sources, allowing researchers from around the world to clearly observe the physical signatures of LISA sources. This project will enable Canadian researchers to take a leading role in LISA’s new view of the Universe. The Canadian public will gain a series of public resources to engage students and the general public in this exciting science.

This project seeks to advance bioprinting technology for space applications, focusing on wound healing in microgravity. This dual-purpose initiative aims to improve astronauts' health while providing immediate treatment for severe burns. The main objectives include experimental analysis of bio printed skin in a developed microgravity simulator, utilizing computational modeling to simulate multilayer skin properties, and integrating AI-driven topology optimization algorithms in bioprinting for enhanced precision. Building upon existing knowledge in space tissue bioprinting, the project pioneers immediate medical applications in microgravity.

The goal of this project is to better constrain the formation of clay minerals on Mars through Mars analogue missions deployed at three clay-bearing terrestrial field sites with two comparable EMRF (ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission) instruments. This project aims to provide insights into further development and validation of these instruments and train the next generation of planetary explorers. The objectives of this work are to provide additional inputs into the design and validation of the instrument “Enfys” – the newly funded spectrometer replacing the former Russian ISEM instrument, to develop mission procedures and protocols tailored for identifying and characterizing clays with Enfys with PanCam (Panoramic Camera), and to determine if the mineral/spectral characteristics of clays collected from different geologic settings are sufficiently distinct to differentiate between different clay-formation scenarios. The analogue missions will be executed at three field sites: one meteorite impact, a volcanic site and one surface weathering site.