Europe and CanadaPartners in Space

BR-160June 2000

Text:Mark Burbidge & Jason Clement, CSA

Published by:ESA Publications DivisionESTEC, PO Box 299,2200 AG Noordwijk,The Netherlands

Editors:Gilles Leclerc & Bruce Battrick

Design & Layout:Carel Haakman

Graphics:Willem Versteeg

Illustrations:Industry Canada/Communications Research CentreInstitut national d'optiqueKinetic Sciences Inc.MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates Ltd.Canadian Embassy, Paris/Jean-Bernard Poree

Copyright:© 2000 European Space AgencyISBN No.: 92-9092-623-6

Europe and CanadaPartners in Space

European Space Agency Canadian Space Agency

BR-160June 2000

In the 21st Century, space has become a truly internationalventure. No single country can absorb the full risk ofdeveloping new technologies for this most demanding

environment. Moreover, many of the benefits of spaceprogrammes also cross political boundaries, as essentialknowledge gained from space-based Earth observation helpshumanity deal with global environmental challenges, andglobal satellite-based services such as multimediacommunications and navigation enter our daily lives.

The Canadian and European space programmes provide anoutstanding model for this international cooperation, provingthat the whole can indeed be much greater than the sum

of its parts. Since 1978, a far-reachingcooperation agreement has broughtsignificant benefits to both sides of theAtlantic, including the development of keytechnologies for both space programmes,the creation of alliances between spacecompanies, and greater returns on theinvestments. As a further 10-yearagreement between the Government ofCanada and the European Space Agency

(ESA) comes into effect in 2000, thiscooperation promises to reach newheights.

The nations of Europe, like Canada andother space-faring nations, seeunlimited potential for future growth ofthe knowledge-based economy through space ventures. In

Europe, ESA has created a European space programmewith great depth and capability beyond the reach of

individual Member States, from launch to orbitalfacilities, to deep-space probes. It has 15Member States (including Canada, as aCooperating State), a budget equivalent to C$ 5.7 billion and some 1700 employees (1999

figures). Canada’s cooperating membershipbrings additional financial resources and advanced

technological capabilities to European programmes,while Europe provides partners with capabilities that areessential to fulfilling Canadian Space Programme goals.

Canada’s geographic and demographic imperatives (surfacearea triple that of all ESA Member States combined, and

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Ariane-5

Rosetta

The 1978 Agreement

1/12 th of the population), make itone of the World’s largest users ofspace systems and services, for suchapplications as communications,search and rescue, navigation,resource management, surveillanceand environmental monitoring toname just a few. Canada was thethird nation after Russia and the USA

to enter the space age, with the 1962 launch of Alouette-I.Today, it maintains an active astronaut office, as well as long-standing activities in space science (notably in atmosphericresearch, astronomy, space environment, microgravity andspace medicine) and space technologyresearch and development. Canada’snational investment ranks seventhamong space-faring nations, andCanada’s space industry earned $ 1.4billion in revenues in 1999, of whichover 40% was from exports.

Canada and the Canadian spaceindustry have actively participated inmany ESA programmes, especially in satellite communications, Earthobservation, and generic space-technology development. Canadaparticipates directly in ESA programmes,activities and decision-making, andCanadian companies bid for andreceive contracts on the same basis astheir European counterparts. No othernon-European country has such a

relationship with ESA. Other aspects of Europe–Canadacooperation in space include a science and technologycooperation agreement between the European Union (EU)and Canada under which Canadian companies andorganizations partner with Europeans and participate in theEU’s Research and Technology Development FrameworkProgramme. There are also numerous bilateral cooperationprojects between some of the ESA Member States and Canadain space science and technology development.

Europe and Canada arepartners, along with theUSA, Japan and Russia, inthe International SpaceStation (ISS) project. The ISS,the largest-ever cooperativeventure in science andtechnology, is the nextgreat step in establishing ahuman presence in space.ESA’s primary contribution is the Columbus laboratory, whileCanada is drawing upon its expertise in space robotics tosupply the Space Station’s Mobile Servicing System (MSS). TheMSS will be used to assemble and maintain the ISS over thecourse of its lifetime in orbit.

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Alouette-I

Olympus at the David Florida Laboratory

International Space Station (ISS)

ISS Mobile Servicing SystemISS Columbus laboratory

W hile many aspects of satellitecommunications have become fullycommercial, space agencies have a

vital role in developing new capabilities andapplications. In this role, CSA and ESA are co-operating to achieve the greatest results from theirrespective investments. Meanwhile, Canadian andEuropean satellite communications companies havedeveloped important partnerships in many areas.

Cooperation between Canada and Europe in thisfield dates back to the early 1970s, when ESA’s fore-runner, the European Space Research Organisation(ESRO), provided critical elements for Canada’sHermes-CTS satellite. This satellite, the first to operate in the Ku-band, opened the way to a variety of direct-broadcastingapplications. Canada’s David Florida Laboratory (DFL),established in 1972 to integrate and test the Hermes satellite,is now active in international space markets as a commercialspacecraft testing service.

The Olympus programme was initiated by ESA in 1978,building on CTS/Hermes and Canada’s Anik-B. Canada was the

third largest participant, with involvement in the solar array,assembly integration and testing, payload amplifiers andmicrowave components. Final assembly and testing wasperformed at DFL.

In the 21st Century, Canada and Europe are working togetherto develop a range of key satellite-communicationstechnologies. For example, more efficient on-board antennasystems will make satellites more energy-efficient. Digital and

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Hermes-CTS

Galileo will be an open, global system.Based on Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)satellites, it will be developed as apublic–private partnership, with fundingfrom the EU and ESA. Canada isparticipating in the definition of the ESA-ledspace segment of Galileo called ‘GalileoSat’.Canadian companies like EMS Technologies,COMDEV and CAE are currently involved inthe definition phase, and NovAtel ofCalgary is working with RACAL of the UK onthe European Geostationary NavigationOverlay Service (EGNOS).

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advanced transmission techniques, including the V-, Ka- andKu-bands, provide greater capacity to handle the vast amountsof data required for multimedia applications.

Inter-satellite links are another important field of cooperationbetween Canada and Europe. In this field, the Institut nationald’optique (INO) of Quebec City is working under a series ofcontracts from ESA to develop optical communications for

high-speed data transfer betweengeostationary satellites, whichcould provide an alternative toterrestrial fibre-optic systems. INOhas developed a transmitter forshort-distance inter-satellite opticalcommunications and a powerfibre amplifier capable ofoperating in space.

Galileo is Europe’s proposed global navigation satellite system.This civilian system will be compatible with existingAmerican (GPS) and Russian (GLONASS) military-basedsystems, which have begun a revolution innavigation practices around the World.As a fully civilian system, backed byadequate service guarantees and alegal framework to support the fullrange of civilian uses, Galileo will openwider possibilities for using satellitenavigation. It will direct air and seamovements, cut traffic congestion by routing carsand trucks more efficiently, and find many other applications infarming, fishing, crime prevention, infrastructure planning,mineral exploration and land surveying. GalileoSat

The view of Earth from space may not showpolitical boundaries, but other informationvital to human existence comes clearly into

focus: from crop conditions to the spread of oilspills, from iceberg movements to groundsubsidence. Earth-observation satellites have alsobecome indispensable in monitoring crucialchanges in the Earth’s environment and climate.

In Earth observation, Canada and Europe haveworked together for decades to advance the stateof the art, particularly in the development of radarsatellites and the commercial application of satellitedata to meet a wide range of human needs.

Earth observation has been a focal point for theCanadian Space Programme from the verybeginning. The concept of a Synthetic ApertureRadar (SAR) was developed in Canada, with thefirst digital SAR image from space being producedin 1978. Canada brought this experience into ESA’s European Remote-Sensing Satellite (ERS)programme. The ERS mission, which focuses on

environmental concerns, matchesCanada’s interest in using remote-sensing activities to monitor andprotect our global environmentand climate. For example, it hasprovided close monitoring of theEl Niño phenomenon in the Pacific

Ocean, which affects weather around theglobe. It has been particularly active in thedevelopment of the ground segment andmicrowave hardware.

The SAR technology developed and acquiredin this programme, and the experience

gained in the reception, processing and use of ERS-1 and ERS-2 data, in turn, facilitated thedevelopment and operation of Radarsat-1.

Radarsat-1, developed and operated by theCanadian Space Agency, is Canada’s first Earth-observation satellite and the World’s firstoperational commercial SAR system. Launched inNovember 1995, it provides all-weather, day-and-

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night imagery for very fastdelivery to customersaround the World. Radarsat-1 can acquire images invariable modes of groundresolution, coverage swaths,and incident radar-beamangles. Different beam selections allow for the imaging of aswath from 35 to 500 kilometres, with resolutions from 10 to100 metres, respectively. Incidence angles range from less than20 degrees to more than 50 degrees.

Radarsat-1's capabilities are fully proven in vital applicationssuch as ice tracking, cartography (including the first completemap of Antarctica), geological exploration, maritimesurveillance, disaster relief, agriculture and forest monitoring,etc. Radarsat-1 is the primary source of images for aCanadian remote-sensing industry that has won some12% of the global market for Earth-observation data.

Canada is now preparing a follow-on satellite,Radarsat-2, a state-of-the art space venture involvingthe public and private sectors. A Canadian industryteam led by MacDonald Dettwiler MDA of Richmond,

British Columbia, is buildingthis lighter, cheaper satellitethat improves on Radarsat-1with new modes, higherresolution, multi-polarisation,more frequent revisits and anincreased downlink margin,

which allows lower-cost receiving systems.

Further plans for wide-ranging cooperation with ESA inRadarsat are under discussion, including the possibility of ajoint venture between Canada and Europe for Radarsat-3.Canada will be an active participant in many missions of ESA’sLiving Planet programme, a major Earth-observation effort overthe coming years focussing on increasingly urgentenvironmental and climatological needs. Canada shares many

of ESA’s objectives for this programme, such asstudying the Earth’s gravity field, oceancirculation, atmosphere dynamics, and icecover. Working with ESA will also provideopportunities to further develop Canadiancapabilities in fields such as multi-band SARand hyper-spectral imaging.

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Radarsat-1 ERS-1

Radarsat-2

In 2000, Envisat, Europe’s largest and most sophisticatedsatellite to date, is following up the two ERS missions with anambitious Earth-observation mission. Its package of 10

instruments has combined capabilitiesgreater than those of any previous orplanned Earth-observation satellite.Canada’s participation in this missionincludes a project by ABB Bomem, ofQuebec City, to simulate and validatethe MIPAS instrument for measuringtrace elements in the atmosphere.

Radar satellites provide new levelsof marine safetyToday, as ice floes drift into North

Atlantic shipping lanes, the Canadian Ice Service ofEnvironment Canada tracks them from space using Radarsat.Until recently, a vastly more costly and less effective, and attimes more dangerous, system of air surveillance was neededto provide this vital support for safe marine transportation. TheCentre has saved some $ 7 million per year in the switch tosatellite imaging, while improving its capabilities to provideunprecedented levels of precision and reliability. Radar satellitesmake this possible. In heavy weather, when visibility closes in,and the need for close tracking becomes even more urgent,

the stream of radar images isunaffected.

Reliable information fornatural-disaster managementThe Radarsat system hasproved its ability to providereliable, rapid delivery ofsatellite images and updatesthat meet the urgent needs ofcivil authorities dealing withnatural disasters around the World. Whether it be riversoverflowing in Québec and Manitoba, an earthquake in Italy,or a cruise ship threatened by Arctic ice, Radarsat consistentlyprovides the most timely and reliable source of essentialinformation for officials responsible for disaster management.

When the Russian oil tanker ‘Hakhoda’ ran aground in a stormnear Japan in 1997, causing the worst oil spill in that country’shistory, Radarsat images allowed Japanese authorities to clearly

identify the location and extent ofthe spill, vastly facilitating clean-upoperations and dealing with thepotential threat caused by the spillto the intake of a nuclear powerplant.

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Sea-surface temperatures, from ERS

MIPAS

Envisat

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From deep space to cold oceans to forest firesSpace technologies are advancing rapidly, thoughthe process is not easy. It requires investigation ofpromising concepts, and investment to bring them tothe point where they can be effectively evaluated.Not all ideas succeed and so there is considerablefinancial risk attached. Cooperation between Canadaand Europe helps to share that risk, and pool

resources to achieve themaximum possible progress.A few examples of thiscooperation follow.

Tracking Rosetta through deep aaspaceESA’s Rosetta spacecraft will belaunched in 2003 on a 10-year missionto study Comet Wirtanen and twoasteroids. Throughout its mission, itsTelemetry, Tracking & Control (TT&C)will depend on the performance of a35-metre antenna built by an industrialteam led by SED Systems of Saskatoon,

Saskatchewan. SED Systems, which has been providingTT&C systems for nearly 20 years, is building on itscore technologies to meet the challenge ofcommunicating reliably with a spacecraft that willtravel up to 900 million kilometres from Earth (adistance that signals take 100 minutes to travel atthe speed of light). This antenna will also be used forfuture missions to Mars.

Adapting space technologies for harsh terrestrialenvironmentsTechnologies developed for operations in the unforgivingenvironment of space can have valuable applications in harshenvironments on Earth. In Newfoundland, C-CORE, anindependently funded engineering research and developmentcorporation affiliated with Memorial University, adapts spacetechnologies such as smart robotics and sensors, advancedmaterials, satellite-based remote sensing, advancedcommunications, and control and power systems for use inharsh environments. These environments, such as cold oceans,Arctic, Antarctic, underground and undersea locations, are ofgrowing interest to resource industries, but present greatchallenges to operations.

Rosetta

This unprecedented initiative isattracting significant matchingfunds from the private sector. C-CORE is building on a successfullaunch of the Harsh EnvironmentsInitiative, which involved 14European and 33 Canadiancompanies in eight demonstrationprojects. For example, PetroGraFx isa collaboration with HiberniaManagement and DevelopmentCompany Ltd. (HMDC) to develop a

software tool to carry out automated analysis and databasemanagement of core and thin-section images. These imagesare collected from core samples taken during exploration anddrilling. The tool will allow the accurate analysis ofpetrographic images in terms of important visualcharacteristics, such as porosity, mineral content, and shapeand size distributions. Another project, SMART (Sensori-MotorAugmented Reality for Telerobotics), is an IRIS/PRECARN project

which aims to design, implementand test an innovative approachto telerobotics for interventions inharsh environments. The focusapplication for the developmentis the supervisory control of

multiple mining robots. This project includes R&D in the areasof interactive 3D sensing, enhanced perception, intelligentmediation, and intelligent control.

Fighting forest fires with help from spaceIn managing emergency situations, for example the fighting offorest fires in British Columbia, real-time communications arecrucial to connect command centres with the entire operationover the affected region, including helicopters, vehicles, heavyfire-fighting equipment, and handheld terminals.

ESA’s REMSAT (REal-time Management of emergency situationsvia SATellite) programme bridges the gap between satelliteservice providers and emergency management end-users, tooffer a powerful network that brings together telecom-munications, positioning, and Earth observation.

REMSAT’s capabilities were successfully demonstrated in BritishColumbia in September 1999. Under an ESA contract, MDA –a company with extensive expertise in space-based operationsand transportable equipment – teamed up with the BritishColumbia Forest Service, which has the responsibility forfighting forest fires, protecting communities and timberresources in an area of over one million square kilometres. TheService deals with over 3000 fires per year, and isinternationally recognized for its emergency-managementoperations.

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Augmented Reality Telerobotic Control Concept

The SMART concept

REMSAT can access a variety of satellite systems currentlyavailable. During the 19-day fire simulation, positioningfunctions were provided by GPS, messaging by the Orbcommsatellite system, and low/high-data-rate voice and videoservices by the Canadian satellite system Anik. This includedhigh-speed communications for fire-fighting crews, augmenteddata and video images, and up-to-date position and statusinformation for all resources (including aircraft, heavyequipment and fire crews). It supported fire attack planning,while providing high-speed communication between mobilefire-control centres and additional background information tohelp in fire modelling, prediction and suppression.Arrangements are under way for the system to be fully testedthrough deployment to fight a major fire.

REMSAT can also be adapted to meet the needs of many othertypes of emergencies, such as earthquakes, floods,

exceptionally severe winterconditions, and those involvinghazardous materials. MDA has beenworking with emergency anddisaster-management agencies inCanada, the USA, Mexico andEurope to supply REMSAT-baseddisaster-management systems.

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REMSAT in action in British Columbia

While Canada and the countries of Europe share a convictionthat space offers unlimited prospects for the future, theyrecognize the fundamental need to spread risk and financial

burdens as widely as possible, to obtain themaximum leverage for their investments inspace. Also, since diverse expertise andexperience is required for success in spaceprogrammes, international cooperation allowseach party to focus on developing specialities inareas of greatest interest.

Experience suggests that the cooperationbetween Canada and Europe has been beneficial to bothsides, and studies have borne this out. In 1996, CSA com-missioned a complete external evaluation ofCanada’s cooperation with ESA since 1978,which showed that Canada’s objectives forthis relationship have been achieved.Canadian investments in ESA have resultedin significant direct contracts to Canadiancompanies and follow-on spin-off sales,promoting the development of the industryas a whole. Corporate alliances for the ESA

programmes have led to numerousother commercial opportunities forCanadian industry. Canadianinvolvement in ESA projects hashelped Canadian space projects suchas Radarsat and the Anik series ofcommunications satellites.

The European partners were also convinced that cooperationwith Canada had brought similar benefits to Europe. Canada’sworldwide lead in certain technologies has also been ofbenefit to ESA, to which Canadian industry brings a strongtechnology base. Also, when working as partners in ESAprogrammes, Canadian and European companies havelearned much about their respective management practicesand business cultures, and have developed numerous closecommercial partnerships.

In summary, Canada and Europe have similar objectives forinternational cooperation: to diversify and reinforce their rolesin space, and to foster closer collaboration in science andtechnology research. They seek to develop and demonstrateadvanced systems and technologies by participating in large

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Space-derived fingerprint reader (Kinetic Services Inc.)

Flameproof textiles from Ariane, in Toronto’s Skydome

Anik-D

space projects on a cost-sharing basis, and to support thecompetitiveness of their space industries through alliances andtwo-way technology transfers between Europe and Canada.

ESA and CSA mission objectives are almost identical. Both havea mission to promote the development of space science andtechnology for exclusively peaceful purposes. Both agenciesseek to promote the competitiveness and success of theirindustries through technology development programmes andinnovative and flexible funding mechanisms. Cooperation hasbrought substantial socio-economic benefits on both sides ofthe Atlantic, and strengthened the bonds between Canadaand Europe in critical areas of science and technology.Increasingly, this inter-agency cooperation is nowcomplemented by strong commercial partnerships betweenCanadian and European space companies.

Looking to the future, space cooperation between Canada andESA promises to continue to be mutually beneficial andproductive, resulting in solid benefits for both Canada andEurope while providing benefits for all humanity – benefits thattranscend all borders.

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ESA Head Office, Paris

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Vancouver B.C., from ERS