http://bear.ras.ucalgary.ca/CASCA/w94/space.html (Einblicke ins Internet, 10/1995)

Small Scientific Satellite Program of the Canadian Space Agency

The newly approved Long Term Space Program (1994/95 - 2003/04) of the Canadian Space Agency includes an initiative which might be of interest to members of CASCA. For further details, please contact Dr. Denis Leahy (leahy@iras.ucalgary.ca), the Chair of the Joint Subcommittee for Space Astronomy.

Over a 10 year period, the Canadian Space Agency has two launches with the Pegasus XL rocket (approx. 1000 lb in low Earth orbit). The budget per payload is intended to be $10M (excluding launch). A payload could include more than one satellite. The small budget means that such satellites must be very simple (i.e. either one-axis stabilized (spinning) or low accuracy 3-axis stabilized). Estimates of costs of such satellites vary considerably depending on exact specification; for example, Orbital Science Corporation (in the US) claims to provide a 3-axis stabilized satellite, pointing to +- 2 degrees, for about $2-4M while requirement of sub-arcminute pointing may involve costs at the level $15-35M.

The Announcement of Opportunity will be put out by CSA in early 1995 and relatively short proposals (about 20 pages long) will be solicited at this stage. Some 4-5 proposals will be then selected for in-depth studies later. Astronomy will compete with 3 other disciplines within the space-science division (solar-terrestrial, life sciences, and microgravity), so that proposals would have to demonstrate a very high scientific return. Note that currently active astronomical missions in which CSA is involved include participation in FUSE, ODIN, Radio-Astron and/or VSOP, Spectrum-X/Gamma, and the HST archive.

W. E. Harris and S. Rucinski for the CASCA Board

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Please e-mail any suggestions/comments to Jack Penfold (jpenfold@mtroyal.ab.ca)