The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is seeking contractors to refine a key scientific instrument for the upcoming High-altitude Aerosols, Water vapour and Clouds satellite (HAWCsat).
The opportunity published on Sept. 1 is for the Phase A development of the Spatial Heterodyne Observations of Water (SHOW) instrument. Those Interested have until Oct. 12, 2026, to submit their proposals.
HAWCsat is Canadian contribution of the broader NASA-led Atmosphere Observing System (AOS) that aims to measure connections between aerosols, clouds, precipitation and atmospheric convection. It is one element of the $200-million investment in Earth observation first announced in 2022. The SHOW instrument specifically targets water vapour measurements in the upper atmosphere. This data helps climate scientists understand complex atmospheric cooling and heating mechanisms.
The core goal of this new opportunity is to update the conceptual design of the SHOW hardware using lessons learned from prior technology maturation cycles. Phase A objectives require contractors to define strict instrument requirements and develop a comprehensive concept of operations. The chosen companies must also verify that their designs can meet the broader mission parameters while staying within defined cost, schedule, and risk constraints.
The government did not disclose the total funding envelope or a maximum contract value in the initial tender notice. The CSA plans to award up to two contracts for this initial development phase.
Winning and successfully completing a Phase A contract is mandatory for future work. The government restricts eligibility for the subsequent Phase B, C, and D manufacturing and operations contracts exclusively to the successful Phase A participants.
This tender is one piece of a broader procurement strategy for the climate science mission. The federal government expects to release a separate Phase A solicitation for the Aerosol Limb Imager instrument in the coming weeks. Another tender covering the HAWCsat spacecraft bus and systems integration will follow later this year.