Grants and Contributions

SpaceAlpha is developing a fully digital, dual-band multi-aperture spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensor for remote sensing the earth regardless of cloud cover or daylight conditions.

This Space Technology Development Program (STDP) project aims to prototype the next generation of digital electronics at the heart of the sensor (the Digital Radio Frequency Unit, or DRFU). We approach the project using the latest Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) devices, which will bring a significant reduction in size, power and complexity to the sensor. Furthermore, the new DRFU will have the interfaces to fully interact with SpaceAlpha’s High Speed On-Board Processor (HSOBP) currently being built under a separate contract. The combination of this new DRFU and the HSOBP on a SAR satellite will enable ground-breaking real-time artificial intelligence in a spaceborne remote sensing system that is built in Canada.

Teledyne Optech proposes a 3 dimensional (3D) Imaging Lidar System that provides a real-time infrared image with depth information for each pixel. This system can potentially enable spacecraft to handle complex tasks, such as scanning for suitable landing/docking locations, by producing an instantaneous 3D model of the target area without further processing or trajectory information.

This project builds on technology previously developed by Teledyne Optech under the CSA program AO 5.4 Industrial Capability-Building Contribution. This proposed project aims to optimize performance and capabilities, moving from a breadboard to a testable prototype.

The resulting product has the potential to be commercialized for terrestrial applications such as autonomous systems, emergency response, and real-time mapping systems. Furthermore, it can potentially enhance Canadian capabilities in space proximity operations by generating instant and rapidly updated 3D models of celestial objects and space environments.

This project will support the development of CubeSat re-entry technology to increase Canadian industrial capabilities of space technology, democratize the return of materials from space, and support the reusability of the satellite technology. The purpose of this project is to assess the effects of temperature in the re-entry process and determine the required form factor for CubeSats to safely return to earth. The Canadian population will benefit from supporting a Canadian technology company in increasing its product applications in the growing space market and allow for universities and their students to increase the various use cases of CubeSat research.

The proliferation of small satellites in the New Space Era has spurred the development of computational systems deployed on agile CubeSats for onboard detection of cloud and floods. There is a need for scalable space IoT frameworks for satellite edge computing (SEC): In addition to growing real-time data requirements for earth observation applications, capability to perform or offload compute on devices is critical for 1) remote areas, mountains, and sea, where ground resource and connectivity is limited 2) Delay-sensitive applications with multi-domain data for situation awareness. CSI proposes to develop an edge-AI software framework for SEC. It will increase capability of AI deployed on satellites as edge nodes while adapting to new tasks. The framework will assess models and performance to minimize bandwidth. The proposed work is demonstrated on use case in satellite processing, updating models for new scenarios onboard, and has potential for multiple satellites.

Almost all space solar modules utilize one source of space glass. Edgehog has previously demonstrated the superior light transmission of its nanotextured anti-reflection process on this industry-standard glass, showing an impressive 1% absolute gain in energy conversion efficiency. This project seeks to recreate such structures on an alternative space glass, 0214-glass, to alleviate the reliance of an entire industry on one glass supplier. Due to the different chemical composition of 0214-glass, the treatment process must be adjusted to account for differences in physical application and chemical reactivity. Successful process transfer enables further adapting the process for other glass alternatives and other applications like camera lenses. The project will also develop a mass-production lamination process, allowing the enhanced 0214-glass to become a viable alternative to the industry standard. This alleviates major risks in supply chain stability and secures this Canadian process as a crucial part of the supply chain.

This project matures the technology readiness level (TRL) of a wireless energy grid to ultimately support lunar missions in survival and operations in permanently shadowed regions. The project addresses key technical & programmatic research and development areas en route to a space demonstration, critical for supporting the early wave of lunar exploration in accordance with the Canadian Space Agency’s (CSA’s) Lunar Exploration Acceleration Program (LEAP) objectives.

Electron Multiplication Charge Coupled Device (EMCCD) technology stands out from competing technologies due to its ability to count photons accurately. CMOS technology is its closest competitor and attracting more and more interest.

A camera’s controller serves as its brain, i.e. the electronics supporting the detector. Nüvü Caméras, a Canadian company, makes the world’s most sensitive imaging solutions with its photon-counting controllers. To date, its controllers support Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs), EMCCDs and with the help from this project, will also be able to support CMOS detectors.

There are many complex challenges to properly supporting ultra-sensitive detectors, but Nüvü Caméras stands out for its unique ability to support demanding low-flux applications—both on Earth and in space. With this project, Canada will secure its leadership position for years to come by expanding its capacity to support yet another form of innovative imaging technology in line with its recognized expertise in photon-counting imaging.

Current spacecraft rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking systems typically rely on human-monitored or controlled Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) systems. This project focuses on the research and development of autonomous GNC software specifically for spacecraft rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking applications. Autonomous systems are advantageous as they allow for operation without human intervention, do not rely on intermittent communication windows, work in highly challenging environments (i.e. around the Moon or Mars), and are highly scalable. This project proposes the development of an autonomous GNC system that enables fully autonomous spacecraft docking. This project creates jobs for four highly qualified personnel and is a building block capability for the sustainable use of space through enabling satellite services such as refuelling and space debris removal, while also having Earth-based applications to make the robotics we interact with safer.

The objective of the proposed project is to further develop components necessary to enable a gallium nitride metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (GaN MOSFET) monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) platform. Such platform will be suitable for fabrication of highly-integrable radio frequency (RF) chips with exceptional performance for next-generation satellite communications and spaceborne radar systems. In particular, upon completion, a full Q-band power amplifier MMIC demonstrator will be fabricated to realize the performance benefits of this platform over competing solutions at extremely-high frequencies (EHF). Owing to the nascence of the underlying GaN MOSFET technology, novel fabrication methods and design methodologies will be developed to complete the desired MMIC deliverable. Potential future benefits directly derived from this project include significant improvements to the speed, latency, and cost of satellite internet for the Canadian public through improved satellite communication hardware.

The objective of the proposed project is to advance the concept of an innovative miniaturized instrument, which uses a novel measurement concept for high spatial resolution and high sensitivity satellite-based methane monitoring. The precision of the methane column density measurement is expected to be up to two times better than current technologies, thereby significantly advancing the state of the art in satellite remote sensing of methane. Furthermore, the proposed instrument will have several practical advantages over current technologies including simplified design, reduced manufacturing cost, and increased operational flexibility. Benefits to Canada include the direct application of space technology to fight climate change. The technology is not only applicable for GHGSat’s next generation constellation, but also for hosted payload opportunities and potentially other commercial and governmental Earth observation missions. This instrument concept will help ensure continued leadership of Canada in high-resolution monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions at individual industrial facilities from space.