Magellan Aerospace has been awarded a $15.8 million contract by the Canadian government to design, build, launch, and operate the Redwing space domain awareness microsatellite.
“Directed by the Department of National Defence’s science and technology organization, Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC), the $15.8 million Redwing contract represents the next generation of spacecraft technology for space domain awareness technology demonstration,” said a March 9, 2023 DND news release that announced a number of DND procurements. “When launched in 2026, Redwing will perform space object tracking to characterize an increasingly congested orbital environment, observe higher detail on space objects, and provide near real-time tasking to respond to evolving space events.”
The Redwing project, which has been years in the making, represents Canada’s desire to take more active control of its space domain.
“In the past decade, there has been a significant increase in the number, and characteristics of space objects from both private and national space operators,” said Lauchie Scott, PhD, P.Eng., DRDC Defence Scientist. “Redwing will be designed to characterize and interpret the orbital and optical characteristics of active and inactive space objects, helping to increase space safety and reduce risk of misunderstanding the behaviour of space operators from low Earth orbit to altitudes approaching Earth’s moon. This research initiative also offers the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) a system to develop proficiency in safe space operations (e.g. debris avoidance and orbit station keeping), space systems management and a platform to examine space objects directly from orbit.”
Being a prototype, Redwing will allow DND to test a number of approaches to space object monitoring and investigation. To make this possible, it will be equipped with optical sensors to detect objects in low Earth and geosynchronous orbits, and employ a wide-field sensor to sense objects within 250 km of its location.
“As a prototype system, Redwing will assist in informing procurement of new operational CAF operational space domain awareness capabilities,” Scott said. “The mission also offers CAF members the opportunity to engage in the design, operation and S&T (science and technology) for next generation Canadian surveillance of objects in orbit from space. Development of these CAF ‘space-savvy’ skills is a key output of this initiative.”
As well, the Redwing microsatellite will image objects in orbits similar to Redwing using its primary optical instrument. To do this, “the satellite will utilize autonomous tracking algorithms to monitor space objects performing unexpected manoeuvres helping ensure orbital custody can be maintained,” said Scott. “Using this functionality, Redwing will also develop ‘defend and protect’ techniques for orbital over watch of Canadian space infrastructure.”
At this point in time, the specifics of the Redwing microsatellite have yet to be determined. This being the case, “both electric and non-toxic cold gas propulsion systems are being considered,” Scott told SpaceQ. “As the contractor team is in the early parts of the design stage, the configuration of the propulsion system will be finalized later. The selected propulsion system will enable orbital changes for debris avoidance, altitude station keeping, orbital geometry changes, and to deorbit the system.”
The design of the Redwing microsatellite is expected to be complete by Fall 2024. If all goes to plan, Magellan will finish building and testing the Redwing sometime in 2026, with the launch taking place later that same year.