Urges Them To Build Their Own Satellites

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) plans to award 13 grants of about $200,000 to post-secondary institutions as part of a challenge to design, build, launch and operate their own satellites. This initiative will help equip young Canadians with the skills and experience needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

The CSA's Canadian CubeSat Project will support proposals representing each province and territory. The winning teams, composed of professors and students, will take part in a real space mission by designing and building a miniature satellite called a CubeSat. This unique, hands-on experience will enable students to acquire expertise in a wide variety of areas—ranging from science, to engineering, to communicating their work with the public—and give them the opportunity to develop invaluable skills to transition into the workforce in the global innovation economy. 

Once tested and ready for space, the CubeSats will be launched and deployed from the International Space Station. The teams will then operate their satellites and conduct science according to the objectives of their missions, which could last up to 12 months.

Throughout the challenge, CSA experts will guide members of the teams and help support mission success.

A call for Letters of Interest to inform professors of the Canadian CubeSat Project is posted on the CSA's website. The CSA will make arrangements for the launch of the CubeSats and cover the associated costs.

The CubeSats are planned to be deployed in two separate groups in 2020 and 2021.

"This is an out-of-this world opportunity for talented young Canadians to take part in a real space mission," said Honorable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. "We want to attract the best and brightest college and university students from across Canada who are interested in leveraging space to push boundaries, innovate, and advance science excellence. The Canadian Space Agency will provide them with the opportunity to become Canada's next space innovation leaders."

(Source: CSA news release. Image from file)

FMI: asc-csa.gc.ca