The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is looking for input as it prepares to release its next Space Technology Development Program opportunity, a program that is continually underfunded.
The request for information (RFI) was released on Thursday, Feb. 19 and is titled Enabling Technologies for Future Missions.
Funding the modern Space Technology Development Program
Before we go into the details of the RFI it’s worth exploring a bit of the more recent history of the Space Technology Development Program.
Over the last 14 years the CSA has supported new technology development to the tune of $147. million. This averages out to approximately $10.5 million per year. We will note that in the past five years that average has increased to $17.1 million.
It’s also worth noting that in 2012 the Conservative government under Prime Minister Stephen Harper launched an Aerospace Review which was then published in two volumes titled Beyond the Horizon: Canada’s Interest sand Future in AEROSPACE (PDF) and Reaching Higher: Canada’s Interests and Future in SPACE (PDF). The report became known as the Emerson Report for its Chair, David Emerson, a former Liberal and Conservative cabinet minister who crossed the floor in 2006 after the Conservatives beat the Paul Martin led Liberals.
Volume 2 of the Emerson Report focused on the space sector. One noteworthy recommendation (#7) was that “Total funding for the Canadian Space Agency’s technology development programs be raised by $10 million per year for each of the next three years, and that it be maintained at that level.”
If the government had followed that recommendation, by fiscal year 2015-16 the STDP budget would have been around $40 million. Adjusted for inflation, in 2026 we would be looking at a $52 million budget.
But of course that hasn’t happened. In its response to the Emerson report, the government said “The CSA will double its Space Technologies Development Program budget to reach $20 million annually by 2015-16.” That didn’t happen either. If it had the inflation adjusted budget would be approximately $26.5 million.
The point of course is that while the government has been increasing funding into big programs related primarily to its lunar efforts, it’s technology program specifically designed to help foster new technology development is underfunded by its own standards. If we were to compare Canada’s new space technology development funding to other countries it would look even grimmer. If Canada is serious about supporting new space technologies, why isn’t there more seed funding?
(And yes, Canada is investing $182.6 over three years now in launch technology but even with that it’s still a drop in the bucket for what launch technologies cost.)
The new RFI
As for the new RFI, the CSA said that it’s the “Government of Canada’s intention to consider one or more future Requests for Proposal (RFPs) under the Space Technology Development Program (STDP).”
The RFI has the following objectives:
- To inform industry of the anticipated posting timeline for any potential future RFP(s);
- To present the draft list of priority technologies currently under consideration for future solicitations;
- To solicit feedback from industry regarding the scope, feasibility, and clarity of the proposed work elements; and
- To collect information that may assist the CSA in refining technical requirements, risk considerations, and procurement planning for potential RFP(s).
The preliminary list of priority technologies included:
- Lightweight Athermal Reflecting Telescope Adaptable to Various Sized CubeSats
- Estimated Budget: $1.0 M
- Estimated Timeline: 16 months
- Target: Reach Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5
- Readout Electronics for Large Mosaic Focal Plane Arrays of Astronomical Low Light Imagers
- Estimated Budget: $1.0 M
- Estimated Timeline: 24 months
- Target: Reach TRL 4
- Technologies for Terrestrial Snow Mass Mission
- Estimated Budget: $2.0 M
- Estimated Timeline: 12 months
- Target: Reach TRL 4
- Fourier Transform Spectrometer for the Atmospheric Data Continuity and Improvement Mission
- Estimated Budget: $1.6 M
- Estimated Timeline: 24 months
- Target: Reach TRL 5
The closing date and time to submit feedback for this RFI is March 12, 2026 at 2:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.