Under the announcement, made by Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Canada’s intent is to contract MDA Space to build, test, and launch an additional satellite for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission.
The plan is designed to allow the Canadian Space Agency to maintain uninterrupted access to critical satellite data supporting the country’s growing needs. In order to accelerate the delivery of this satellite, MDA Space has been awarded $44.7 million to purchase specialized parts.
“Through these investments, we are strengthening Canada’s space sector and ensuring Canadians continue to benefit from the satellite data that supports essential everyday services,” according to Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions.
“In doing so, we are strengthening Canada’s sovereign satellite capabilities and equipping Canadian industry and governments with the tools to protect communities, support decision-making, and keep Canada secure."
To ensure Canada continues to innovate and remain at the forefront of Synthetic Aperture Radar capabilities, the government have also announced intentions to advance the development of the next-generation satellite system. Building on the legacy of the RCM, three Canadian companies, C-CORE, Kepler and MDA Space, are receiving up to $747,000 each. They will have seven months to deliver concept studies for the new generation of Earth observation satellites.
Space serves as a strategic industry to help us tackle some of the most pressing issues of our time. Satellites like the RCM deliver daily observations of Canada’s lands, waters, and northern regions. This data supports essential services Canadians rely on, from responding to natural disasters to tracking sea ice and ensuring the safe delivery of supplies to northern communities, according to the Canadian Government.
The contracts are part of the Government of Canada’s $1.012 billion, 15‑year investment in the CSA, announced in October 2023, to support immediate and future satellite Earth observation needs.
Following a competitive procurement process for the next-generation satellite system, each of the selected companies is expected to deliver a proposal for a multi-year plan that defines the mission concept, the satellite system’s design, the technical requirements, and the critical technologies that would need to be developed.
The replenishment satellite will help maintain uninterrupted access to this source of Earth observation data, used by over 10 federal departments to deliver many essential services to Canadians.