Needing to add more Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) capability beyond the data the Department of National Defence (DND) gets from the RADARSAT Constellation Mission and RADARSAT-2, and as a precursor to adding new SAR capability, Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) is planning to develop a prototype demonstrator satellite.
DRDC issued a Request for Information (RFI) this week for a Next-Generation Digital High-Resolution Space-Based Radar (NGen SBR) demonstrator mission, “a planned Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) prototype satellite to demonstrate digital, dual-band and high-resolution radar capabilities that leverage recent technological breakthroughs. This project will mature and de-risk the cutting-edge technology required for future software-defined SAR missions.”
DRDC stated the objectives of the RFI are to:
- Inform Industry of DRDC’s requirement for a NGen SBR demonstration mission;
- Determine Industry’s capability to provide the NGen SBR mission within the schedule timeline listed in section 6;
- Obtain input from Industry on the feasibility, deficiencies, and proposed improvements with respect to the NGen SBR requirements;
- Solicit feedback and recommendations on any issues that would impact Industry’s ability to fulfill the requirements; and
- Obtain indicative costing estimates from Industry.
The scope of the RFI includes:
- The NGen SBR demonstration mission consists of space segment, a basic ground segment and the operations of the spacecraft.
- The space segment will include SAR payload integrated onto a suitable bus and must undergo environmental testing to prove flight-readiness. In addition, the spacecraft will include to be specified radio frequency (RF) links into a future above-flying Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) communication satellite constellation.
- Launch options are under considerations and include the launch by a commercial provider and the option to have the spacecraft launched by Canada at no cost. In either case launch support from Industry will be required. After successful commissioning, the satellite must be operated in orbit for a minimum of two years.
- The ground segment architecture is under consideration and will include as a minimum the provision to downlink the data at a to-be-specified Government furnished receive sites and to transfer the properly formatted raw data to DRDC facilities including all required auxiliary spacecraft data whereby the subsequent processing, analysing and archiving of the data will be conducted by DRDC. As an alternative option, the ground segment may contain a full processing, exploitation and dissemination (PED) system.
The RFI includes the following schedule with estimated milestones and timelines for the project:
| RFI Period | 25 October to 17 November 2021 |
| Request for Proposal (RFP) | 1 March to 20 April 2022 |
| Evaluation | 25 April to 20 May 2022 |
| Treasury Board Submission | March 2022 to September 2022 |
| Contract Award | October 2022 |
| Design and Build Phase | 2022 to 2024 |
| Testing Phase | 2024 to 2025 |
| Launch | 2025 |
| Flight Operations | 2025 to 2027 |