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The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) recently announced four Space Technology Development Program (STDP) opportunities but postponed its Suborbital Capability Demonstration to a later date.
In August they issued a notice for the upcoming STDP announcement of opportunity (AO). However when they released the AO last Friday there was no mention of AO 6.5, Suborbital Capability Demonstration.
When SpaceQ contacted the CSA we were told that the Suborbital Capability Demonstration was postponed to a future date with no explanation given. Should it go forward we’ll post an update.
What is AO 6.5, the Suborbital Capability Demonstration? This is how the CSA described AO 6.5;
The Capability Demonstration opportunity is to enable the recipients to prepare for, execute and close-out a demonstration of the capability of their technology on a CSA provided capability demonstration platform. It does not include the design and development of an instrument, payload or platform (e.g. Basic R&D from TRL 1 to TRL 4). However, it does include the R&D to adapt an existing instrument or payload for its integration on a demonstration platform.
Demonstration platforms to be made available by the CSA, subject to CSA priorities and budget availability, can include stratospheric balloons (short and long duration flights) and parabolic flights.
Non-repayable contributions of up to $300,000 for R&D space projects with the potential of economic benefits in the short to medium term, between 2 and 5 years.
The opportunities that are currently available are:
AO 6.1 Space R&D – Advanced technologies: This AO concerning Space R&D will award non-repayable contributions up to $1M per advanced space technology project that expect commercial potential in the short to medium term (i.e. 2 to 5 years).
AO 6.2 Space R&D – Small businesses: This AO concerning Space R&D – Small Businesses will award non-repayable contributions up to $250,000 for space technology projects and limited to small companies (up to a maximum of 50 employees).
AO 6.3 Space R&D – Feasibility studies: This AO concerning Space R&D – Feasibility Studies will award non-repayable contributions up to $100,000 per project for space system design and technology feasibility studies that expect commercial potential in the medium to long term (i.e. 5 to 10 years).
AO 6.4 Space R&D – Low Technology Readiness Level: This AO concerning Space R&D will award non-repayable contributions up to $500,000 per next wave space technology project that expect commercial potential in the medium to long term (i.e. 5 to 10 years).
The closing date for all of the opportunities is January 17, 2020.
