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The Canadian Space Agency has awarded three contracts, two to Magellan Aerospace and one to MDA, for the purpose of making sure the RADARSAT Constellation Mission remains in tip-top shape.
The contracts are valued at approximately $2.2M before taxes.
MDA is the prime contractor for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission while Magellan Aerospace is a subcontractor responsible for the satellite bus.
Magellan Aerospace contracts
Contract 1: RADARSAT Constellation Mission bus simulator.
The largest contract was awarded to Magellan for a RADARSAT Constellation Mission bus simulator. That contract is valued at $1,961,169, taxes included.
In an email to SpaceQ, a Canadian Space Agency spokesperson said satellite “bus performance is a key factor that impacts mission productivity. Bus performance can be improved in-flight through configuration parameter tuning and software fixes/enhancements.”
The CSA said Magellan will:
- Build, deliver, install, integrate, verify and validate Bus Flight Software development and verification environments (equipment), at the CSA Saint-Hubert facility.
- Provide associated training to operate the delivered equipment and perform bus software maintenance.
“These development and verification environments will be used by the operations team and contractors to maintain bus performance throughout the mission.”
Contract 2: Sustaining Engineering for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission satellite bus.
The second Magellan contract is valued at $138,459.79 with taxes included.
According to the CSA “this service contract provides a framework for the sustaining engineering effort required to ensure optimal satellite mission performance through software tuning, fixes, enhancements, calibration, testing, and anomaly investigation.”
“The contract outlines the sustaining engineering work to be performed in support of bus flight operations of RCM during the period of this contract. The contract outlines in general terms the anticipated work, as well as expected expertise, which may be requested from the Contractor through approved Task-Authorizations under the Contract.”
MDA contract
MDA also received a RADARSAT Constellation Mission Payload Sustaining Engineering contract. The value of this contract is $393,263.94 including taxes.
The CSA said the “Payload performance can be improved in-flight through calibration, configuration parameter tuning and software fixes/enhancements. This service contract provides a framework for the sustaining engineering effort required to ensure optimal satellite mission performance through software tuning, fixes, enhancements, calibration, testing, and anomaly investigation.”
“The contract outlines the sustaining engineering work to be performed by the Contractor in support of payload flight operations of RCM during the period of this contract in general terms, the anticipated work, as well as expected expertise, which may be requested from the Contractor through approved Task-Authorizations under the Contract.”
The three satellite constellation that is the RADARSAT Constellation Mission was launched in June and the first image was released in early July. At this time, data is being collected from the satellites and distributed to stakeholders.
