Page 53 - SAMENA Trends - November 2020

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Canada Developing Lunar Rover and Science Payloads

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is Aerospace will demonstrate a navigation fixed to landers. He did not disclose the
moving ahead on efforts to develop lunar system. CSA is also in the initial phases estimated cost of the rover mission, but
science payloads and a small rover that of a “microrover” that it plans to develop said it would launch no sooner than late
could fly to the moon on a NASA-sponsored and fly in cooperation with NASA. The 2024, and more likely in 2025. The goal
lander mission. The CSA announced agency published a letter of interest Oct. is for the rover to operate for at least
Nov. 27 it awarded six contracts with a 23 announcing it would formally issue a one lunar day, and possibly a second if
total value of $2.9 million Canadian ($2.2 request for proposals for the rover by early it can survive the two-week lunar night.
million) to five companies and universities 2021, awarding two contracts for Phase A Canada is not alone in looking to other
for initial “Phase 0” studies of lunar feasibility studies in the summer. CSA will countries to fly lunar rovers. The United
science instruments. The instruments then select one for full-scale development. Arab Emirates announced in September
range from spectrometers and particle The rover will have a mass of 30 kilograms it planned to build a small rover, weighing
telescopes to an “agriculture feasibility” and carry two payloads, one provided by only about 10 kilograms, carrying three
payload. The contracts, with individual CSA and the other by NASA. “The idea is science instruments. Officials said they
values ranging between $300,000 and that we want this mission to demonstrate will seek either to partner with another
$600,000, are intended to study the Canadian lunar mobility technology on the space agency, or purchase space on a
feasibility of the proposed instruments moon and to gather science data,” said commercial lunar lander, to transport their
and how they will support lunar science. Erick Dupuis, director of space exploration rover to the moon. While the CSA rover
The contracts are expected to last for up development at CSA, during a session project is tied to NASA’s CLPS program,
to nine months. The contracts are part of the Canadian Space Summit online Dupuis said the agency was open to
of CSA’s Lunar Exploration Accelerator conference Nov. 27. Dupuis said CSA has other partnerships for flying its payloads
Program (LEAP), an initiative that the negotiated a ride to the moon on a NASA to the moon. “We have a pre-negotiated
Canadian government unveiled in February Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) agreement with CLPS to get the launch of
2019 at the same time as it announced it lander mission. “In exchange for launching our payloads to the moon, so that is under
would provide a robotic arm for the NASA- us, we are providing accommodations for our belt, but other opportunities could be
led lunar Gateway. The program, with a a U.S. instrument on our rover,” he said. out there,” he said, such as partnerships
planned budget of $150 million over five He said that the agreement with NASA with the European Space Agency. “We are
years, is intended to support a wide range also includes flying additional Canadian open to all mechanisms.”
of science and technology initiatives lunar science payloads on CLPS missions,
associated with lunar exploration. In
addition to the science awards, CSA issued
contracts worth $3.3 million Oct. 29 to
two companies, Canadensys Aerospace
Corporation and NGC Aerospace Ltd.,
for development of lunar technology
payloads. Canadensys will develop a
360-degree camera to provide panoramic
images of the lunar surface while NGC

Viasat Phased Array Antenna Performs Final Testing for SES O3b mPOWER

System

Viasat revealed that its phased array flat fixed and mobile broadband applications. levels of connectivity on a global scale,”
panel antenna, which was selected by For SES’s O3b mPOWER Medium-Earth said Stewart Sanders, Executive Vice
SES for the O3b mPower satcom system Orbit (MEO) system, the phased array President (EVP), O3b mPOWER Program
in 2018, has entered the Test Readiness antenna will operate on Ka-band, but a Lead at SES. “The flexibility designed
Review (TRR) stage. TRR is the final stage different version of the antenna can be into the Viasat phased array antenna will
of testing to verify compliance with the made to operate on Ku-band. “Back in enable our current O3b constellation of 20
antenna’s performance requirements. 2018 Viasat became a partner in our O3b MEO satellites and next-generation O3b
Viasat expects the first phased array mPOWER innovation ecosystem. Now with mPOWER system to bring reliable, high-
prototype to be delivered to SES early in Viasat entering the final testing phase of its speed broadband communications for
2021. Viasat’s phased array antenna will phased array terminal technology, we are our government, enterprise and mobility
be offered in multiple sizes, for use in both another step closer to providing advanced customers.”

53 NOVEMBER 2020