SpaceQ Space news and analysis.
Canadian scientists will receive a gold mine of new data soon after the CAScade, Smallsat and IOnospheric Polar Explorer (CASSIOPE) satellite launches in 2011. Scientists will be able to access the data though a central web site, the newly upgraded Canadian Space Science Data Portal (CSSDP) on the ultra-high speed Canada Advanced Research and Innovation Network (CANARIE).
The Canadian Space Science Data Portal is a collaboration between the University of Alberta, where it was developed, the Alberta Science and Research Authority (ASRA), CANARIE, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and Cybera. The Canadian Space Science Data Portal received $1M in funding from CANARIE and $200K from Cybera.
CASSIOPE is a multi-purpose small satellite platform in the Canadian Small Satellite Bus Program. Its payloads consist of e-POP with its 8 scientific instruments and Cascade a new experimental communications service with potential significant commercial applications. Cascade was developed by MDA of Richmond, BC. Other partners in CASSIOPE include the University of Calgary, the Commuications Research Centre in Ottawa and Bristol Aerospace of Winnipeg.
e-POP suite of 8 scientific instruments include;
– Coherent EM Radio Tomography (CER)
– Fast Auroral Imager (FAI)
– GPS Attitude and Profiling Experiment (GAP)
– Imaging and Rapid-Scanning Ion Mass Spectrometer (IRM)
– Fluxgate Magnetometer (MGF)
– Neutral Mass Spectrometer (NMS)
– Radio Receiver Instrument (RRI)
– Suprathermal Electron Imager (SEI)
e-POP will provide scientists with details about the Earth’s ionosphere, thermosphere and magnetosphere which will help them better understand the cause and effects of potentially dangerous space weather.
CASSIOPE is scheduled for a 2011 launch on SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
