The Canadian Space Agency has announced that MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) has been awarded a 16-month contract valued at $40 million to begin the design of the RadarSat Constellation Mission (RCM).
The RadarSat Constellation is the evolution of the RadarSat Program and will ensure the continued use by government scientific and commercial clients of data produced by Canada’s advanced C-band radar instrument.
As part of the mission, the three-satellite configuration will provide complete daily coverage of Canada’s land and oceans as well as significant coverage of international areas for Canadian and international users.
Like RadarSat-1 and RadarSat-2, the constellation will be designed to function day and night in all weather conditions. It will fully support the priorities of the government and enhance Canada’s ability to ensure its sovereignty and security through space-borne maritime surveillance, including the Northwest Passage.
Under the contract, MDA will complete the preliminary design of the RCM satellite and ground infrastructure. While the initial mission includes three satellites, the Constellation is designed to grow to include up to six satellites. This will allow the system to address future requirements as they arise with greater flexibility.