St. John’s, Newfoundland based C-CORE has been awarded a contract to build laser communication demonstration satellite for Defence, Research and Development Canada (DRDC).
The satellite, named DREAM-0, will be used “to validate and advance how Canadian-developed technology can provide secure, low-cost, high-data-rate communications from space,” according to a news release from C-CORE.
C-CORE added that “the satellite is part of a demonstration of alternative communications topologies for secure communications where C-CORE’s DREAM-0 satellite will use direct laser communications from satellite to satellite.”
Some of C-CORE’s other R&D efforts for DRDC will be leveraged for Dream-0 including previous work including “Artificial Intelligence to determine satellite health, its work in maritime surveillance and passive radar, and its technology in information security.”
Michael Henschel, Director GeoAnalytics, C-CORE said, “DREAM-0 is the first of its kind. This project aims to demonstrate how a full service, high data rate connection could be used as an alternative to relying on expensive and vulnerable fibre optic cable or satellites from other nations. This project will also highlight how to get a new technology demonstrator deployed quickly and cost effectively.”