Forced To Think Small, Canadian Space Agency Focuses on Microsatellites

摘要

With little solid funding for new large-scale programs on the horizon, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has embarked on a number of smaller potential projects focused on microsatellites. Industry sources say the CSA is not expecting any major funding for large projects for the next several years, beyond proceeding with the Radarsat Constellation Mission, or RCM. But on April 29 the CSA awarded five contracts to Canadian firms and universities to perform feasibility studies on five potential future microsatel-lite missions. These studies will investigate whether the five concepts are technically viable and suitable for the use of a microsatellite platform, according to the space agency. The proposed missions would be in areas of security, health, forest fire surveillance, weather surveillance and water quality monitoring. The missions also would allow the Canadian space sector to advance industrial capabilities in microsatellite technology, especially in mission development, and advanced optical and communications payloads, CSA officials say.