More Canadian satellites will launch in 2022 than any other year. Four will launch on the SpaceX Transporter-3 mission scheduled for tomorrow and we’re tracking 77 Canadian satellites that are planned to launch in 2022 and 2023.
SpaceQ is tracking 35 satellites, listed below, the majority of which are manifested and scheduled to launch in 2022. This includes 10 for Kepler Communications, 3 for GHGSat, 3 for the DRDC’s Project Grey Jay, the Canadian Space Agency QEYSSat satellite, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory QUEYSSAT which has participation by Canada’s Department of National Defence, the University of Toronto Aerospace Team Heron MK2 and the Geometric Energy Corporation DOGE-1.
Also launching this year is the first batch of Canadian Space Agency sponsored Canadian CubeSat Project (CCP) satellites. A total of 15 CCP will launch. The plan is to launch them in two batches on SpaceX Commercial Resupply Missions (CRS) to the International Space Station where they will be released by an astronaut. There are two SpaceX CRS missions planned this year, CRS-25 in May and CRS-26 in September. How many of the CCP satellites will fly this year is being decided now according to the Canadian Space Agency. The second batch with the remaining satellites will then fly on a CRS mission in 2023.
In 2023 we currently have 42 satellites scheduled to launch. The list includes 7 satellites for GHGSat, 3 for NorthStar Earth and Space and 31 Lightspeed satellites for Telesat. With respect to Telesat, supply chain issues might push back some or all these launches to 2024. Our list for 2023 is likely to grow as more satellites are manifested.
Regardless of the exact number of satellites launching in the next two years, we’re seeing a rapid expansion of Canadian technology in space.
Table of Canadian Satellites Planned for Launch in 2022
SpaceX Transporter-3 Manifest
The SpaceX Transporter-3 missions has 105 satellites manifested.
- 44 SuperDoves for Planet
- 5 Lemur’s for Spire
- 4 for Kepler Communications (Kepler-16, Kepler-17, Kepler-18, Kepler-19)
- 2 for ICEYE
- BRO-5 – UnseenLabs (France)
- CAPELLA-7-WHITNEY – Capella USA
- CAPELLA-8-WHITNEY – Capella USA
- CHALLENGER/SANOSAT-1 – Nepal
- DELFI-PQ/EASAT-2/HADES – UK
- DEWA-SAT-1 – UAE
- ETV-A1 – UK
- FOSSASAT-2E1/FOSSASAT-2E – Spain
- FOSSASAT-2E2/FOSSASAT-2E – Spain
- FOSSASAT-2E5/FOSSASAT-2E – Spain
- GOSSAMER-PICCOLOMINI – Italy
- HYPSO-1 – Norway
- ION-SCV-004 – Italy
- IRIS-A – National Cheng Kung University
- MDASAT-1A – SANSA (South African National Space Agency)
- MDASAT-1B – SANSA
- MDASAT-1C – SANSA
- NUX-1 – Singapore
- PION-BR1/MDQUBESAT-1/SAT – Brazil/Argentina
- SICH2-1 – Ukraine
- TEVEL-1/TEVEL-2/TEVEL-3 – Israel
- TEVEL-4/TEVEL-5 – Israel
- TEVEL-6/TEVEL-7/TEVEL-8 – Israel
- UMBRA-02 – Umbra USA
- UNICORN-1/UNICORN-2A – UK
- UNICORN-2D/SATLLA-2A/GRI – UK
- UNICORN-2E – UK
Update: Updated on Thursday, January 13, 2022 to update the count of satellites launched from 98 to 105. Note that information on the complete manifest is not always known until just before as some providers prefer to keep their satellite deployment private until just after launch.