Canadian CubeSat Project

Announcement of Opportunity

Publication date: October 20, 2017

Application deadline: 2 p.m. (ET), December 18, 2017

Please note - Changes have been made since the posting of this Announcement of Opportunity.

List of Acronyms

• AIT: Assembly, Integration and Testing
• AO: Announcement of Opportunity
• BOM: Bill of Materials
• CCP: Canadian CubeSat Project
• CDR: Critical Design Review
• Co-I: Co-Investigator
• CSDC: Canadian Satellite Design Challenge
• FCSA: Frequency Coordination System Association
• FRR: Flight Readiness Review
• G&C: Grant and Contribution
• HQP: Highly Qualified Personnel
• ISED: Innovation, Science & Economic Development
• KOM: Kick-Off Meeting
• MCR: Mission Concept Review
• NRCSD: NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer
• PDR: Preliminary Design Review
• PI: Principal Investigator
• PM: Project Management
• RF: radiofrequency
• STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

In 1999, the California Polytechnic State University and the Stanford University launched the CubeSat concept (see Wikipedia). It was conceived as a very low-cost satellite project that could be built by a team of about 10 students within two to three years.

The CubeSat concept sets the baseline satellite measurement to be 10 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm and to weigh less than 1.4 kg. This configuration is commonly known as "one unit" or 1U. It has been adopted by several academic institutions worldwide. Hundreds of post-secondary institutions in over 40 countries have developed or are in the process of developing CubeSats. With the introduction of CubeSat kits offered by specialized space companies, the complexity of building the satellite is further reduced. This is evidenced by the participation of a few U.S. primary and secondary schools in CubeSat projects. Over the years, as the capability of microelectronics improved, the popularity of CubeSats has spread to government agencies, research organizations and private enterprises. CubeSats have proven to be capable of carrying out missions for scientific research, Earth observation, meteorological measurements, and imaging. Appendix A to this document provides more information about CubeSats.

1.2 Canadian CubeSat Project (CCP) Announcement of Opportunity

With this as background, the CSA issues this CCP Announcement of Opportunity (AO) under the CSA Class Grant & Contribution (G&C) program. Through the CCP AO, the CSA aims to provide post-secondary institutions across Canada with an opportunity to engage their students in a real space mission by supporting projects that consist of designing, building, launching and operating a CubeSat in space. It is expected that through this unique hands-on experience, students will increase their interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), acquire expertise in a wide variety of areas – ranging from space science and technology to communicating their work with the public to project management (PM) – and develop invaluable skills to transition into the Canadian workforce.

Post-secondary institutions from every province and territory are invited to participate in this innovative AO-funded project. To this end, the CSA plans on awarding thirteen (13) grants –one for each province and territory. Appreciating that some provinces and/or territories may not have within them post-secondary institutions – universities or colleges – which feel ready to take the lead on a CubeSat project, the CSA encourages these institutions to partner with more experienced institutions in any of the other provinces and/or territories. Through such collaborative partnerships, the CSA is confident that it can meet its chief objective of achieving participation of all provinces and territories.

Each grant is expected to be up to $200,000 for the provinces (up to $250,000 for proposal involving one of the territories to support additional travelling costs to partake in collaborative efforts). Teams receiving grants will not only design and build their CubeSats; they will also prepare them for space. All thirteen (13) CubeSats are planned to be transported to and launched into space from the International Space Station (ISS). The CSA will make all arrangements for the CubeSats' launches and will cover the associated costs. The teams will then operate their satellites and conduct scientific experiments and/or validation of their technology development from space according to the objectives of their respective missions, which could last up to a maximum of 12 months.

The CSA has secured 30 units through NanoRacks LLC, a private company which hosts a CubeSat Deployer and equipment for experiments on the ISS. The CSA hopes to make full utilization of these 30 available units. As such, there will be the possibility from this CCP AO initiative to have the 13 satellites be a mixture of the 1U, 2U and 3U configurations. How many of each will be accommodated will be determined by the three-step evaluation process detailed within this document.

This initiative falls under the CSA's Space Science and Technology mandate to foster the continuing development of a critical mass of Canadian researchers and highly qualified personnel (HQP) with space-related knowledge, skills and expertise.

This AO is consistent with the terms and conditions of the CSA Class G&C Program to Support Research, Awareness and Learning in Space Science and Technology – Research Component.

Applicants are asked to read the following AO thoroughly before submitting their applications. This AO was prepared to help applicants complete the application process and outlines key elements, including mandatory criteria for eligibility, details on eligible projects, the selection process and required content of the proposal. In the event of any discrepancies between this AO and the individual funding agreements governing a project, the latter document(s) will take precedence.

2. AO Objectives

Through this AO, the CSA intends to support Canadian post-secondary institutions across Canada in offering HQPs hands-on experience with real space missions through a CubeSat development project. In addition to the objectives listed below, one important goal is to have each team being trained in multiple disciplines (science, technology, business, and communication) at university or college levels.

Such projects will contribute towards the following objectives; which are in line with the CSA G&C Program objectives:

• Increase students' interest in STEM, particularly in the space domains;
• Develop students' expertise in the space domains;
• Foster the development of Canadian HQP and their preparation to enter the job market; and
• Advance space science and/or technology.

By contributing to maintaining excellence in key capabilities and to inspiring Canadians, this AO will address key principles of Canada's Space Policy Framework. It will enable Canadian HQP to participate in future space missions, acquire new scientific and technical knowledge, as well as managerial and communication skills. This AO thus ensures the strategic and sustained utilization of space in Canada and the transition to the workforce of tomorrow.

3. Eligibility Criteria

3.1 Eligible Recipients

Canadian universities and post-secondary institutions.

3.2 Eligible Projects

To be eligible, it is mandatory that a project address the following elements:

• The involvement of Canadian HQPs from post-secondary institutions. For this AO, HQPs are defined as:
  • Students in colleges,
  • Undergraduate students,
  • Graduate students (master's and PhD levels), and
  • Post-doctoral fellows (PDFs).
• A training plan, complete with the specific STEM areas to which students will be exposed and about which they will be trained through hands-on activities;
• A Public Engagement Plan, complete with the specific activities that clearly highlight the variety of promotional tools being envisaged as well as the audiences being targeted; and
• A CubeSat mission (1U or 2U) related to a space-based science or a technology development.

All of the above elements must be described clearly in the proposal.

All applicants are asked to submit a proposal for either a 1U or 2U CubeSat project targeting a mission linked to space-based science or technology development.

Applicants who wish to ultimately work on a 3U CubeSat are invited to submit such proposals as options. Such applicants are to understand, however, that the initial selection of projects to be funded will be based solely on the evaluation of the 1U and 2U proposals (see Section 5.3 for additional details on the evaluation methodology and Section 5.4 for details regarding the evaluation process).

Note: Breaking down a project into numerous elements to obtain more than the maximum grant is not allowed.

3.3 Links to CSA Priorities and to the G&C Program Objectives

To be eligible, projects supported under this AO must contribute to the achievement of at least one of the following objectives:

• To foster the continuing development of a critical mass of researchers and HQP in Canada in areas relevant to the priorities of the CSA; and
• To support the development of science and technology relevant to the priorities of the CSA.

4. Applications

4.1 Required Documentation

Each application must include the following:

• A complete and original application form signed by the Duly Authorized Representative;
• One signed hard copy of the proposal;
• A copy of the document(s) confirming the legal name of the applicant;
• Letters from other funding contributors confirming their contributions, if applicable;
• The Declaration on Confidentiality, Access to Information Act and Privacy Act form signed by the duly authorized representative (refer to the Applicant Declaration on Confidentiality, Access to Information Act and Privacy Act section included in the application form);
• For organizations in Quebec, M-30 Supporting Documentation form completed and signed by the duly authorized representative (refer to the M-30 form for organizations in Quebec included in the application form); and
• A single PDF-formatted file containing a copy (identical to the paper copy) of all the above-requested documents with all security features disabled on standard electronic media (USB memory key, CD, or DVD). The proposal must be included in the file as a searchable PDF-formatted document (PDF/A-1a format preferred). If there is any discrepancy between the hard and the soft copies, the hard copy takes precedence.

Please see Appendix D for additional details regarding the content expected to be seen in each proposal.

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the application complies with all relevant federal, provincial and territorial legislation and municipal bylaws.

Applications must be mailed to the CSA at the following address:

Applicants must also take note of the following:

• Proposals must be received at the CSA no later than 2 p.m. (ET), December 18, 2017.
• Applications sent by email will not be accepted.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Questions and answers related to this AO will be posted on the CSA website in the FAQ section of this AO (see Section 10). The CSA will answer questions received before December 7, 2017.

4.2 Additional Factors for Applicants to Consider

Institutions applying for this Opportunity are responsible for the development of their CubeSat including the design and manufacturing of their CubeSat, as well as its operation and utilization after deployment. Therefore, to be eligible for this Opportunity, applicants must have sufficient capability in the following areas:

• Ability to ship or transport the CubeSat to David Florida Laboratory (DFL) or to another facility approved by the CSA for vibration testing;
• Coordination of licensing for all required radio frequencies; and
• Access to ground station facility or facilities.

4.3 Service Standards for this AO – Complete Applications

Applicants will be notified in writing of decisions regarding their application. Selected applications will be announced on the CSA website. The CSA has set the following service standards for processing times, acknowledgements of receipt, funding decisions and payment procedures.

Acknowledgement: The CSA's goal is to acknowledge receipt of proposals within ten (10) working days following the AO's closing date.

Decision: The CSA's goal is to evaluate and respond to the proposal within twelve (12) weeks of the AO's closing date and to send a grant agreement for signature within six (6) weeks after formal approval of the proposal.

Payment: The CSA's goal is to issue a first installment payment within four (4) weeks of the successful fulfillment of the requirements outlined in the grant agreement.

Compliance with these service standards is a shared responsibility. Applicants must submit all required documentation in a timely fashion.

5. Evaluation

5.1 Eligibility Criteria

Applications will first be submitted to an eligibility assessment to verify if each of them:

• Represents an eligible recipient as defined in Section 3.1;
• Represents an eligible project as defined in Section 3.2; and
• Meets program funding provisions defined in Section 7.

5.2 Evaluation Criteria

Once the eligibility assessment is completed, compliant applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• Expected Results,
• Project Feasibility,
• Project Merit, and
• Benefits to Canada.

Table 5-1 shows the definition and a breakdown of all evaluation criteria, which are further described in Appendix B. Applicants should carefully address each of them when writing their proposals.

Although proposals are not required to achieve a minimum score in order to be considered for funding, obtaining the highest score possible maximizes your chance of being selected to obtain financial support.

5.3 Evaluation Steps for the three (3) CubeSat Sizes

In the spirit of encouraging participation from all interested institutions while remaining mindful of its objectives and the NanoRacks constraints, the CSA has opted to proceed with the following methodology:

• Applicants wishing to embark uniquely on a 1U CubeSat are required to submit a proposal for only that 1U CubeSat project. These will be evaluated in Step 1 of the evaluation process;
• Applicants wishing to embark uniquely on a 2U CubeSat are only required to submit a proposal for only that 2U CubeSat project. The 2U proposals will be evaluated in Step 1 of the evaluation process; and
• Applicants wishing to embark on a 3U CubeSat are required to submit two proposals – one for a 2U CubeSat and the other for a 3U CubeSat (note: for economy of effort, the proposed 3U project should, whenever possible, be an extension of the proposed 2U project). Selected 3U proposals will be considered in Step 3 of the process, once availability on the NanoRacks is determined upon completion of Step 2 of the evaluation process.

See Section 5.4 for details regarding the evaluation process

5.4 Evaluation Process

Only applications meeting the eligibility criteria listed in Section 5.1 will be given further consideration.

Eligible applications will be evaluated according to the criteria listed in Section 5.2 and described in more details in Appendix B.

Evaluators will include experts in the fields relevant to the proposed mission's applications and may include representatives from other government and non-government agencies and organizations. If and when applicable, a multidisciplinary evaluation committee will be formed when applications from different disciplines are competing with each other. Only responsive applications shall be considered further for funding. A steering committee at executive level will review the overall evaluation to provide final recommendations.

As was introduced at Section 1.2, the CSA hopes to award a grant to each of the ten (10) provinces and three (3) territories with the intent of ideally launching thirteen (13) CubeSats from the ISS.

Taking into account that there are thirty (30) units available for launch on NanoRacks, and in order to allow all interested applicants to participate in a fair and equitable manner, applicants are asked to submit proposals for the CubeSat configurations demanded by the evaluation steps detailed in Sections 5.4.1, 5.4.2 and 5.4.3.

5.4.1 Step 1 – Evaluation and Ranking of 1U and 2U Proposals

For the first evaluation step, only the 1U and 2U proposals will be evaluated as per the same evaluation criteria (see Section 5.2 and Appendix B). The 1U or 2U projects within each province and territory earning the top scores will form the initial list of projects to be funded. Proposals from a province or territory will not be compared nor assessed against those of other provinces or territories. Through this initial step, the CSA hopes to identify thirteen (13) proposals, one for each province and territory.

In the event that not all provinces and territories are represented upon the completion of Step 1, the evaluation process will proceed with Step 2.

5.4.2 Step 2 – Identification of Additional Projects

The evaluation of the 1U and 2U proposals in Step 1 will indicate which province and/or territory are so far represented by at least one of its post-secondary institutions.

In order to try and meet its prime objectives of ensuring, to the fullest extent possible, the participation of all ten (10) provinces and three (3) territories, and of having a total of thirteen (13) funded projects, the selection committee will then select additional projects from those not already selected.

In so doing, this committee will first place emphasis on projects involving the collaboration of the provinces and territories not represented by projects selected in Step 1. In addition to collaboration between the provinces and territories, the CSA will also consider the collaborative effort being proposed between the leading CubeSat teams (Applicants) and other participants from the Canadian space sector (industry, researchers) as well as from foreign researchers.

Upon completion of Step 2, the CSA plans on having successfully identified thirteen (13) projects that, together, involve the participation of each province and territory in at least one (1) project.

5.4.3 Step 3 – Upgrading Selected 2U CubeSat Projects to 3U CubeSat Projects

The completion of Step 2 will indicate how many free units remain on the NanoRacks' thirty (30) available units and thus how many 3U CubeSats could then be considered instead of 2U CubeSats.

To this end, the selection committee will identify which of the institutions already selected in the previous steps are to see their 3U projects funded rather than their 2U projects.

This process will be followed until all thirty (30) NanoRacks units are filled up.

6. Roles of the CSA

6.1 Launch Services

The CSA will be responsible to procure the launch service capacity (i.e., transport of the CubeSats to the ISS and launch of the CubeSats from the ISS). Launches are planned to occur in two batches. The first batch of CubeSats is expected to be ready within two years (24 months) after receipt of the grant awards and the second batch is expected to be delivered to the launch provider within three years (36 months) after receipt of the grant awards. The exact dates for both batches are not yet known and will be determined by NanoRacks.

The CSA will be responsible for conducting all liaisons with NanoRacks. As such, the CSA will ensure that all integration requirements identified by the CubeSat teams are made known to NanoRacks just as all the requirements demanded by NanoRacks are made known to the CubeSat teams. No CubeSat team is to liaise directly with NanoRacks.

6.2 Support from CSA to Selected Teams after Grant Awards

Following grant awards, the CSA will provide guidance to the CubeSat teams in the form of teaching and learning activities so as to ensure that the participating teams gain as much knowledge, skills and expertise through this CubeSat initiative. This guidance may include the conduct of activities such as webinars, seminars or workshops, progress/safety reviews, team project presentations as well as CubeSat performance demonstrations with the purpose of maximizing the overall learning and teaching experience, of ensuring the safe transport of the CubeSats to the ISS and the launch from the ISS, and of facilitating the creation of informal networks among team members.

During the design and building of the CubeSats, teams will therefore be invited to provide their technical questions to the CSA CCP team. These questions will serve as the basis for the following specific activities:

• Regular webinars, telecons or videoconferences during which generic answers to questions submitted by individual project teams will be provided to all teams;
• Regional workshops, coinciding with Preliminary and Critical Design Reviews (CDR), to which all the teams of a given region will be invited to attend and during which the CSA technical experts will make presentations and specifically try to provide answers to technical questions. During those workshops, sessions will offer the opportunities to participating teams to share their challenges and proposed solutions under the guidance of CSA technical experts; and
• A national workshop, coinciding with the Flight Readiness Review (FRR) and to be held at the CSA.

In addition to the above activities, the CSA may provide teaching documentations that teams could find useful when designing, building, testing and operating their CubeSats.

The intention behind the activities listed above is to create collaborative mechanisms that will assist all teams with achieving their project goals. Each team will, however, be responsible for the execution and success of their project.

The CSA will in no way be responsible or liable for the success of any of the CubeSat projects nor will it be liable for damages caused or sustained by either party or by any 3rd party.

It is worth emphasizing that the CubeSat projects to be funded under this AO will not in any way consist of competitions between the funded teams. To this end, in addition to the guidance opportunities mentioned above, teams will be encouraged to assist each other. The CSA sees collaborative effort between teams as one of the most important vehicles to maximizing the level of knowledge, skills and expertise expected to be gained by the CCP participants.

6.3 Support from Industry to Selected Teams

The CSA has conducted a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit information from Canadian companies interested in offering expertise, products and/or services to faculty members in post-secondary institutions participating in the CCP.

A list was created with the names of the Canadian companies who responded to the RFI and accepted to share their information with CCP applicants.

Two international companies also expressed an interest in offering their assistance and they are both included in the list of interested companies.

This list is provided in Appendix C to facilitate the collaboration between post-secondary institutions and RFI respondents interested in offering expertise, products and/or services to CCP applicants. Applicants are invited to consult this list and communicate with the company or companies of their choice. Applicants may also collaborate with other companies that did not respond to the RFI.

The CSA does not endorse nor support any company identified in this list.

7. Funding

7.1 Available Funding and Duration

The total maximum funding amount given in grant for each project will be $200,000, over a maximum period of up to four (4) years to allow successful applicants (recipients) to complete their training and project objectives.

It is expected that the launch of the CubeSats will be scheduled within 36 months after the starting date of the grant agreement. The operation phase of a CubeSat will usually be performed for up to twelve (12) months after the satellite is placed into orbit.

The total funding available under this AO is $2.85M but could be subject to change based on competing CSA operational requirements and funding availability.

The total number of projects under this AO will depend on funding availability.

Each eligible recipient can be funded for one (1) project under this AO.

The CSA reserves the right to reject any proposals or reduce the amount of the grants at its entire discretion.

Approved proposals will be eligible for a total amount of government assistance (federal, provincial, territorial and municipal) of up to 100% of total project costs.

To determine the amount of funding to be allocated, consideration will be given to the availability of CSA funds, the total cost of the project, and the other confirmed sources of funds provided by other stakeholders and the applicant.

Given that the total cost of a proposed project can exceed the level of funding offered by the CSA, applicants are encouraged to seek funding from partners with the space industry or from local organizations. In addition to securing additional financial support, such funding partnerships can be a key element in developing successful HQP for future workforce.

Applicants must identify all sources of funding in their applications and confirm this information in the funding agreement if the project is selected for funding. Upon completion of a project, the recipient must also disclose all sources of funding.

7.2 Eligible Costs

Eligible costs are direct expenses that are associated with the delivery of the approved project and that are required to achieve the expected results of the project. Expenses will be covered subject to the applicant signing a funding agreement, in the form of a grant, with the CSA. Expenses incurred prior to the receipt of a grant agreement are not ineligible. Eligible costs for grants under this AO are the following:

• Licences and permit fees (including but not limited to software licences);
• Access fees (to laboratories or special facilities);
• Registration fees (for events in direct support of a Public Engagement Plan);
• Data acquisition;
• Acquisition or rental of equipment (not to exceed 20% of the grant for laboratory instruments or equipment);
• Materials and supplies (including satellite components and hardware);
• Consultant services;
• Bursaries;
• Salaries and benefits (not to exceed 20% of the grant value);
• Travel, accommodation and meal allowances;
• Acquisition, development and printing of materials;
• Costs related to obtaining security clearance;
• Publication and communication services;
• Translation services;
• Marketing and printing services;
• Overhead (administrative) costs (not to exceed 10% of the grant value); and
• PST, HST and GST net of any rebate to which the recipient is entitled and the reimbursement of any taxes for goods and services acquired in a foreign country net of any rebate or reimbursement received in the foreign country.

8. Funding Agreements

8.1 Payments

The CSA and each successful applicant (the recipient) will sign a funding agreement. This is a condition for any payment made by the CSA with respect to the approved project.

The CSA plans on making two payments (installments), with the first being made within four (4) weeks of the successful fulfillment of the requirements outlined in the grant agreement and the second installment approximately one year later.

Each grant shall be disbursed depending on CSA's fund availability. The first installment shall not exceed $150,000 and must be in line with the recipient funding needs during the first year of the project, as described in the proposal. The second grant installment will be subject to the recipient's confirmed eligibility and acceptable progress as determined by the CSA's review of progress/safety reports.

Payments will be made in accordance with the process and the reporting requirements described in the signed funding agreement. Upon notice of a successful application, the CSA will have no liability until a funding agreement is signed by both parties. Only eligible costs indicated in the funding agreement and incurred after such agreement is signed will be reimbursed. The funding agreement will include a clause stipulating the recipient's obligation to confirm, once a year in the case of multi-year agreements, their eligibility for the G&C Program, and inform the CSA in writing of any changes to the conditions used in determining their eligibility.

8.2 Audit

The recipient of a funding agreement shall keep proper records of all documentation related to the funded project, for the duration of the project and for six (6) years after the completion date of the project, in the event of an audit. This documentation shall be available upon request.

8.3 Conflict of Interest

In the funding agreement, the recipient will certify that any current or former public office holder or public servant it employs complies with the provisions of the relevant Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code for Public Office Holders and the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector respectively.

Note: Current employees of the CSA are not eligible to participate in any way in any application under this AO.

8.4 Intellectual Property

All intellectual property developed by the recipient in the course of the project shall vest in the recipient.

8.5 Organizations in Quebec

An organization in Quebec whose operations are partially or fully funded by the province of Quebec may be subject to the Act Respecting the Ministère du Conseil exécutif, R.S.Q., Chapter M-30.

Under Sections 3.11 and 3.12 of this Act, certain entities/organizations, as defined in the meaning of the Act, such as municipal bodies, school bodies, or public agencies, must obtain authorization from the Secrétariat aux affaires intergouvernementales canadiennes du Québec (SAIC), as indicated by the Act, before signing any funding agreement with the Government of Canada, its departments or agencies, or a federal public agency.

Consequently, any entity that is subject to the Act is responsible for obtaining such authorization before signing any funding agreement with the Government of Canada, its departments or agencies, or a federal public agency.

Quebec applicants must complete, sign and include the M-30 Supporting Documentation form with their application.

8.6 Outcomes and Performance Measurement

The CSA will ask the recipients to report on the following outcomes:

• Knowledge and Expertise Creation
  • Number and types of HQP involved in the project.
  • Number and ratio of women HQP involved in the project.
  • Number of HQPs from Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) involved in the project.
  • Number and types of fields (disciplines) to which HQP were exposed and about which they advanced their knowledge and expertise.
  • Publications and presentations.
• Science and/or Technology Advancement
  • Number and areas of science and/or technologies addressed and/or developed during the project.
  • Initial and Final Technology Readiness Level (TRL) reached by project for each system and subsystem.
  • Number of technology breakthrough (if applicable).
  • Scientific and/or technological achievements resulting from research.
• Collaboration
  • Number of different institutions or organizations involved.
  • Number of HQP from outside the lead post-secondary institution to be trained in the design, build, test and operate the planned CubeSat with a science and/or technology payload.
• Outreach
  • Nature of events used to promote the funded project (such as presentations to various schools, conferences, or other audiences; conduct of media interviews, development of web content and utilization of social media).
  • Number of events organized, attended or supported by the CubeSat team.

8.7 Publications and Communication

As a courtesy, the CSA would like to receive a copy of publications arising from the work, and be informed in advance of significant press releases or media interest resulting from the work.

9. Privacy Notice Statement

The CSA will comply with the federal Access to Information Act and Privacy Act with respect to applications received. By submitting personal information, an applicant is consenting to its collection, use and disclosure in accordance with the following Privacy Notice Statement, which explains how the applicant's information will be managed.

Necessary measures have been taken to protect the confidentiality of the information provided by the applicant. This information is collected under the authority of the CSA Class G&C Program to Support Research, Awareness and Learning in Space Science and Technology, and will be used for the evaluation and selection of proposals. Personal information (such as contact information and biographical information) included in the rejected proposals will be stored in a CSA Personal Information Bank for five (5) years and then destroyed (Personal Information File no. ASC PPU045). Personal information included in the successful proposals will be kept along with the proposal results for historical purposes. These data are protected under the Privacy Act. According to the Privacy Act, the data linked to an individual and included in the proposal being evaluated can be accessed by the specific concerned individual who has rights with respect to this information. This individual may, upon request,

1. be given access to his/her data and
2. have incorrect information corrected or have a notation attached.

Applicants shall note that for all agreements over $25,000, information related to the funding agreement (amount, grant or contribution, name of the recipient and project location) will be made available to the public on the CSA website.

For additional information on privacy matters prior to submitting a proposal, please contact:

10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

It is the responsibility of the applicants to obtain clarification of the requirements contained herein, if necessary, before submitting an application.

For any questions related to the AO, applicants shall use the following generic email address: lecedessetc-thegandccoe@asc-csa.gc.ca. Questions and answers related to this AO will be posted on the CSA website in the FAQ section of this AO. In addition to posting answers on the afore-mentioned website, the CSA will hold a webinar, approximately two weeks after posting the AO. in order to answer any additional questions applicants may have pertaining to the AO or regarding the answers posted on the website. Information on this webinar will be posted on the CSA website. The CSA will respond to questions received before 12 noon (ET), December 7, 2017.

At any point, applicants are welcome to share with the CSA their comments or suggestions regarding the AO, the program or the process. Applicants may either use the generic email address or the generic web-based Comments and Suggestions Box.

Appendix A: Background Information on CubeSat

The objective of this appendix is to provide relevant information on CubeSats and key consideration to assist applicants with formulating their proposals.

A.1 Technical Consideration

1. Form Factor: CCP accepts proposals for 1U, 2U or 3U with physical size and mass as follows.

   Form Factor	Dimension (cm)	Mass (kg)
   1U	10 × 10 × 10	2.4
   2U	10 × 10 × 20	3.6
   3U	10 × 10 × 30	4.8
2. Orbit altitude and inclination: The satellites will be launched from ISS NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer (NRCSD). The nominal orbit will be at 350 km altitude and inclination of 51º.
3. The CubeSat batteries should maintain charge for a minimum of 6 months from time of integration into the NRCSD.
4. The CubeSat shall remain in a full power off condition until 30 minutes after deployment from the ISS. Only an onboard timer system can be turned on immediately after deployment.
5. Pyrotechnics device shall not be permitted in the CubeSat.
6. Components that can be detached or fragmented shall not be allowed.
7. Deployable mechanisms for antennas, arrays or booms will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
8. The CubeSat shall be required to pass three Progress/Safety Reviews before being accepted for launch.
9. Each CubeSat shall include three mechanical inhibits that prevent the CubeSat from being turned on accidentally.
10. As the CubeSat size increases, the volume to accommodate the payload and the number of solar cell increases. Subsequently, the capability of the CubeSat increases. Moreover, there is an associated increase in cost and complexity.

A.2 Build versus Buy

Understanding that the provinces and territories do not necessarily have the same starting level of experience and expertise with CubeSats, the CSA will accept projects based on partial or full turnkey solutions. Because of the standardization of CubeSats, it is currently possible to purchase each or all CubeSat subsystems. It is equally feasible to purchase a turnkey solution that includes the CubeSat bus and the payload. Applicants considering purchasing a commercial solution are no doubt aware that, while such an approach reduces risks and shortens project schedule, it does come at the expense of a higher cost and potentially fewer learning opportunities in the STEM fields. The trade-offs between making and buying a CubeSat are illustrated in Figure A-1.

That being said, a turn-key or partial turn-key solution can be a more attractive option for applicants with limited experience and/or expertise with satellite design and fabrication or for those involving more junior students.

Building a CubeSat from basic materials can be a cheaper option but demands experienced spacecraft engineers to supervise the student team. The increased technical challenges typically yield increased STEM learning opportunities if the work is performed by students.

A.3 Suggested Technical Disciplines for Team Members

Table A-1 represents a typical CubeSat project team structure based on experiences of CubeSat building teams.

Note: owing to the relatively small size and simplified structure of a CubeSat, it is not an issue if one student assumes more than one role. What is most important to the project is that each member shall understand his/her role(s) and responsibility right from the beginning. The team size depends on the a priori experience of space projects. For a novice team, CSA recommends a size of 10–20 students.

A.3.1 Electrical

The electrical team looks after the power conversion and supply, battery, circuit board manufacturing (or procurement) and assembly as well as electrical systems integration and testing.

A.3.2 Mechanical

The mechanical team looks after the satellite structure manufacturing and assembly (including solar panels), thermal environment, mechanism (inhibits) design and installation as well as all bill of materials (BOM). NanoRacks advised that some CubeSat projects failed the final progress/safety review when the satellite structure could not fit smoothly into the NRCSD. The importance of the mechanical subsystems cannot be overlooked.

A.3.3 Software

Although most of the CubeSat hardware can be purchased as turnkey solution, turnkey software solution is not feasible. Each CubeSat will have its own unique payload and hardware. The software team is responsible for writing and testing codes to ensure proper functioning from ground to space and from space to all subsystems onboard the CubeSat.

A.3.4 RF Communications

The common communications protocol for CubeSat is the utilization of amateur radio bands with uplink in UHF and downlink in VHF. The RF communications team looks after the testing and programming for the radios. It will also be responsible for setting up the ground station and determining the operations schedule.

A.3.5 Mission Systems

The systems team is responsible for the requirements of the missions. It supports every team in requirement definition and validation and, as such, works closely with every team. Students will gain experience in systems engineering.

A.3.6 Public Engagement

Each team is responsible for developing a Public Engagement Plan that outlines how it will raise public awareness of the project. The plan should include a communications objectives, as well as the activities that will be developed and undertaken to achieve these objectives; examples include (but are not limited to): web content, social media activity, reaching out to the media, public presentations, and presentations to students (elementary, high-school or peers), which are effective tools in stimulating interest among students and the general public.

A.4 Development Timeline

There are certain factors that influence the development time of a CubeSat. A few of them are listed below:

• Team experience with space projects: a satellite can be built successfully only if the development guidelines are followed and milestones are respected.
• Complexity of the satellite: as the satellite size becomes larger, there is more volume and power generated. The tendency is then to put in multiple payloads or a more complex payload. Consequently, building a 3U CubeSat becomes more difficult than building a 2U CubeSat. In turn, 2U CubeSat will take more effort to build when compared to 1U.
• Build versus buy: there are several CubeSat suppliers that sell components as well as turnkey CubeSats. Buying commercial-off-the-shelf components offers the advantage of a shortened development time.
• The need of testing: a satellite is not retrievable once it is launched. Thorough testing is primordial to the success of a satellite project. As such, it is important to allocate sufficient time in the schedule for testing, especially for a larger or more complex CubeSat.

A.5 Licensing Requirement

The use of RF requires close coordination to avoid unwanted interference and unauthorized usage that can jeopardize public safety. In Canada, the coordination is managed by the Directorate of Spectrum Management and Telecommunications within the Ministry of Innovation, Science & Economic Development (ISED). The communications with a satellite also necessitates an operations license from ISED. The procedures are fairly complex for first-time applicants. As such, Frequency Coordination System Association (FCSA) published a useful reference entitled "Frequency Coordination Procedures & Database Maintenance Responsibilities Manual" that explains the step-by-step procedure.

A.6 Mission Ideas

Since the introduction of CubeSat concept in 1999, the latest estimate shows over 140 1U, over 50 2U and over 475 3U CubeSats have been launched. Among these, approximately many were designed, built and operated by university teams from over 20 countries. Swartwout maintained until 2013 an online database of the university CubeSat missions in which he classified broadly into 4 categories: T-class, S-class, C-class and E-class. They are defined as follows:

• T-Class: mission that has the goal of testing a new satellite component, subsystem or a new technique;
• S-Class: mission that carries a scientific payload for gathering science data in an area of research;
• C-Class: mission that provides communications service such as using the satellite as an amateur radio repeater; and
• E-Class: mission that has the primary focus of providing a training opportunity of building and operating satellites to students.

In fact, the majority of the university CubeSats fits into multiple categories. Below is a sample of 10 different CubeSat missions that highlights a variety in space mission ideas:

In 2010, Canadian Satellite Design Challenge (CSDC) was created and launched by CSDC Management Society. The goal of CSDC is to encourage university student teams in Canada to design, build and test a 3U CubeSat. Each team is judged by a panel of experts on the technical content. A real-life vibration test of the engineering model is conducted at CSA DFL. Each contest lasts about 18 months and, since 2010, three campaigns have successfully been carried out and the fourth one was launched in November 2016. Table A-3 summarizes the mission ideas of some of the past missions.

A.7 Design and Test Reviews

Design and test reviews are essential to the success of every satellite project. They consist of meetings during which satellite teams presents the progress of their project and the results of tests conducted on their CubeSat to the CSA review team. Table A-4 highlights the timeframe and location planned for each of these meetings. The responsibility of the review team is to assess whether there is any design issue and whether the progress satisfies the milestones. NASA Systems Engineering Handbook is a comprehensive guidebook on design reviews including full list of deliverables for reviews. For CCP, CSA has adjusted the requirements for design and test reviews to be commensurate with a typical college/university CubeSat project. The goal of the design and test reviews is to satisfy the safety requirements for the launch provider, NanoRacks, and to maximize the probability of success of the CubeSats.

Each CubeSats funded following this AO will have to successfully pass all four design and test reviews in order to be integrated into the ISS flight manifest and be put into orbit.

A.7.1 Mission Concept Review (MCR)

At MCR, each CubeSat team will have to answer these questions:

• Is the mission objective and the payload planned to be used still the same as those mentioned in the proposal?
• Are there any significant project changes since the proposal was written?
• What is the plan for the satellite operation?

The MCR is an-house activity to which all team members should participate.

A.7.2 Preliminary Design Review (PDR)

As the name suggests, PDR is an opportunity for the CubeSat team to present the preliminary design of the satellite mission. The key expectations from the review team are as follows:

• The complete list of components of the CubeSat;
• The layout of the components in the CubeSat;
• An analysis that demonstrate that the requirement on power, mass and volume will be met;
• Concept for the onboard software development;
• Updated schedule and detailed work breakdown structure (WBS); and
• BOM that conforms with NASA flammability and off gassing requirements.

Each team should plan on having a minimum of one individual attend the PDR, with a typical team representation being 3 to 5 individuals.

A.7.3 CDR

In the CDR, the role of the review team is to ensure the satellite is ready for assembly, integration and testing (AIT). The reviewers will focus on:

• The examination of electrical circuit and the handling of battery;
• The location of triple inhibits and separation springs in the design as demanded by NanoRacks;
• The assembly and integration plan of the satellite; and
• The test procedures of the complete satellite.

Each team should plan on having a minimum of one individual attend the CDR, with a typical team representation being 3 to 5 individuals.

A.7.4 Vibration Test and Test Review

Teams will, at a minimum, be required to have their assembled satellite vibration tested. Although not a requirement for this CubeSat initiative, teams may opt to have additional tests conducted.

For the vibration tests, any recognized facility is acceptable. Those wishing to call upon the services of the DFL in Ottawa, should budget for a fee of $5,000.

Teams should allow for two (2) days for the conduct of the vibration tests.

The CSA will require the testing facility to forward a copy of the test results for its review and approval.

Upon review of the vibration tests, the CSA will provide feedback to each team regarding their respective test results. In the event of a test failure, a strategy regarding how to move forward will also be discussed and agreed upon.

A.7.5 FRR

NanoRacks will use the FRR to confirm that the completed CubeSats meet all the safety requirements. As a minimum, the company demands:

• Fit check report that confirms all dimensions are within the specifications of NRCSD;
• Vibration test report that confirms the CubeSat meets the vibration requirement; and
• Battery test report that confirms safe operations of the battery.

Each team should plan on having a minimum of one (1) individual attend the FRR, although 2 to 3 representatives would be better. The CSA will use the FRR as part of its CubeSat Project publicity and outreach strategy.

Appendix B: Point-Rated Evaluation Criteria

This Appendix provides details about each of the seven (7) point-rated criteria that will be used to evaluate and rank all eligible (compliant) proposals (see eligible criteria at Section 5.1). Points will be awarded for each criterion as per the benchmark statements (assessment guidelines) provided herein.

The evaluators shall provide their assessments objectively by using only the information provided in the proposals. It is the responsibility of the applicants to provide pertinent and complete information for each criterion. In preparing their proposals, applicants are asked to also refer to the information provided in Appendix D – Proposal Elements.

Each point-rated criterion will be evaluated using four (4) benchmark statements and assigned one of four (4) ratings (Poor, Average, Good or Excellent). The grid below outlines the maximum number of points available for each of the four (4) evaluated categories as well as the maximum number of points associated with each of the four (4) benchmark statements for each of the seven (7) criteria.

Also note that each of the four (4) evaluation categories is assigned a percentage (%) of the overall total score (which 100%).

Categories and Criteria

Category 1: Expected Results (40% of overall score)
Maximum: 40 Points

Criterion 1.1: HQP Training and Impact
Maximum: 25 Points

This criterion assesses the relevance, type, diversity and level of experience, knowledge and professional skills (engineers, scientists, communication, and business) expected to be gained by the participating HQP. It also assesses the level of collaboration with other post-secondary institutions. All of the above being detailed in the training plan which is also to be measured against the intermediate- to long-term impact expected to have on the proposed HQP.

The proposal should also elaborate on how the project is expected to impact HQP beyond the CubeSat mission. For instance, will the CubeSat project provide a stepping stone to the HQP higher education in STEM, future employment opportunities or future business? Does the CubeSat project provide opportunities for HQP outside the institute?

Criterion 1.2: Public Outreach Effectiveness
Maximum: 15 Points

This criterion evaluates the nature and breadth of the activities outlined in the Public Engagement Plan which aim at promoting the different facets of the project and at providing avenues to discuss the project's challenges and success stories as well as ways for the team to gain additional hands-on experience in a variety of fields.

Category 2: Project Feasibility (35% of overall score)
Maximum: 35 Points

Criterion 2.1: PM
Maximum: 15 Points

This criterion evaluates the clarity and completeness of the PM plan.

Criterion 2.2: Resources
Maximum: 10 Points

This criterion evaluates the quality, quantity and relevance of the human and non-human resources planned to be utilized to meet the project goals and objectives. It evaluates the timely availability of these resources and the adequate allocation of these resources to each specific project task. It also evaluates the existence of collaborators willing to provide financial and/or in-kind contribution, thereby leveraging funds from the CSA.

Considering that the grant is a fixed amount, recipients cannot expect an amendment for an additional sum. The recipient has the ultimate responsibility for any cost overrun.

Criterion 2.3: Risks Identification and Mitigation Strategies
Maximum: 10 Points

This criterion assesses the quality of the analysis regarding the risk factors associated with the proposed project, their identified probability of occurring and the planned mitigation strategies.

The purpose of this analysis evaluation is to determine the feasibility of the team being able to complete the project within the proposed time and budget.

Category 3: Project Merit (15% of overall score)
Maximum: 15 Points

Criterion 3.1: CubeSat Mission and its Development
Maximum: 15 Points

This criterion evaluates the scientific and/or technical merits of the proposed CubeSat mission and its development, as detailed in the CubeSat Development and Operation Plan.

Category 4 Benefits to Canada (10% of the overall score)
Maximum: 10 Points

Criterion 4.1: Space Science and/or Technological Knowledge Creation
Maximum: 10 Points

This criterion evaluates the direct and indirect contribution to the advancement of space science, and/or the development of space-related technology from the CubeSat mission.

Examples of direct contribution include new scientific observations and/or measurements realized through the CubeSat mission. It also includes demonstration of new instrument or payload on the CubeSat. Indirect contribution refers to the increased dissemination of space science and technology knowledge through the CubeSat mission. It can include the creation of new space curriculum or of a new ground facility (e.g., laboratory, observatory or ground station) for Canada.

Appendix C: List of Companies that Responded to the RFI

The following is the list of companies that have expressed, in response to a CSA's RFI, an interest in offering expertise, products and/or services to faculty members in post-secondary institutions participating in the CCP.

The CSA does not endorse nor support any company identified in this list.

Appendix D: Proposal Elements

Proposal Elements

Proposals shall address the following elements, which are described further in the subsequent subsections:

1. Mission objective(s),
2. Benefits to Canada,
3. Project Team,
4. CubeSat Development and Operating Plan,
5. Training Plan,
6. Public Engagement (Outreach) Plan,
7. PM Plan, and
8. Budget.

D.1 Mission Objectives

Each proposal must have as its mandatory objective to train HQP. In addition to that objective, each proposal must clearly identify the main scientific and/or technological purpose of the CubeSat's payload being proposed (i.e., whether the payload addresses a scientific research question or a technology/demonstration objective).

In defining the mission objective(s), the PI should first consult the open literature so as to become familiar with what has been achieved with CubeSats elsewhere and the type of missions (e.g., earth observation, imaging, or space physics) that could be accomplished by students with the end goal of increasing expertise related to space science and/or space technology. Appendix A to this AO provides a sample list of and a link to some CubeSat databases.

The PIs should also consider the following when scoping their projects:

• While the envisaged mission objectives should be stimulating and motivating, they should be commensurate with the team's space expertise and experience. For example, a mission that requires high pointing accuracy demands team's experience in the design, of an attitude control sub-system.

D.2 Benefits to Canada

The proposal shall describe how the proposed project will contribute to:

• Increasing students' interest in and knowledge of STEM as well as their awareness of space;
• Developing and sustaining students' expertise in space-related domains;
• Advancing space science and/or technology; and
• Developing and sustaining skill in team work, PM and communication.

Notes:

1. Increased knowledge in space science and/or technology expected from the CubeSat: recognizing that there is a varying level of space science and technology knowledge across the country, the increase in knowledge expected to be achieved by a proposed project in a particular province/territory will be considered in the measurement metrics.
2. Sustained HQP in the space sector as a result of the CubeSat project: each proposal shall address the short- and medium-term impacts expected to be accrued after the completion of the CubeSat project. Measurement metrics could be, but not limited to, the number of students pursuing higher education or degree in STEM, the level and breadth of the HQP training achieved and the level of experience to which the team members were exposed and which of the newly-gained experiences are believed to be in line with what is needed by space industry.

D.3 Project Team

The proposal shall include a description of the team composition, complete with the position to be held by all planned team members (i.e., PI, Co-PI, Project Manager, Team Leads, Team Co-leads, etc.) as well as their respective areas of responsibility. Please refer to section A3 of appendix A for the suggested technical disciplines for team members.

For this AO, each proposed team is, as a minimum, to consist of a PI and a team of post-secondary students.

It is expected that the PI will be the lead in the project and have the following responsibilities:

• Define the objective(s) of the mission and the mission architecture in order to achieve the mission objectives;
• Assemble and supervise the Canadian HQP team;
• Act as the primary Point of Contact (POC) for the CSA;
• Inform the CSA, without delay, on any problem or difficulty that has an impact on his/her institution CubeSat development project schedule;
• Manage the CubeSat as a project that respects the milestones and schedule;
• Provide quarterly reports to the CSA regarding the status of their projects including any issues or concerns that need particular attention;
• Designate a PM for the execution of the project and the management of the project resources. (Note: the PI shall remain accountable for the project outcome and sound management of the project funding);
• Support HQP development according to the training plan;
• Attend progress/safety review meetings with the CSA and launch provider technical authorities and report without delay any issue that impacts on the schedule; and
• If ground-to-space communications is required, obtain the satellite operation licence prior to the delivery of the CubeSat to the launch provider.

Note:

3. Although each post-secondary institution can submit more than one proposal, a given individual cannot be the PI for more than one proposal.

Collaborators to the project are encouraged and may come from either the same institution as that of the PI or from another Canadian institution or organization within or outside the applicant's province or territory. International collaborators are also permitted.

Note:

4. Notwithstanding Note III above, and with the objective of securing the widest participation of academic personnel and students across the country, PIs are permitted to invite others from the same or different institute to assist them by being their Co-PIs. There is no limit on the number of proposals for which an individual can be named as Co-PI. The intent is to encourage inter- and intra-province/territory collaboration. For example, a PI from one college/university could be Co-PI of another college/university in the same or different province or territory.

It is anticipated that most HQP will work on a part-time basis on the project; however, CSA recommends each HQP works, on average, a minimum 3 hours/week on the project in order to gain the proficiency of a space HQP.

In addition to collaboration, applicants are encouraged to have a diversity of skills represented within their proposed team. To this end, the team should have engineers as well as scientist, communication experts and business-savvy individuals.

D.4 CubeSat Development and Operating Plan

The objective of a space mission can only be accomplished by a functioning satellite bus and by the successful operation of the onboard payload; which is normally a scientific instrument or a technology used to conduct an experiment. The proposed CubeSats shall not have any propulsion capabilities. The cost and complexity of a CubeSat typically increase with the size. In other words, a 1U CubeSat is less complicated and costs less to build compared to a 3U CubeSat. The complexity of the payload depends on the type and nature of information or data which the mission intends to collect. A simple CubeSat payload can be a camera imaging the Earth or a radio repeater for ground-space-ground communications. Designing a payload shall take into account requirements such as battery power management, data storage and downlink as well as controlling software.

As a minimum, a CubeSat bus has the following four key subsystems:

• Structure: the frame that holds the modules as well as the solar arrays;
• Power: includes the battery and power conversion and management unit;
• Communications: the radio for communicating with the ground; and
• Control and Command: the processor that handles all aspects of the proper functioning of the satellite bus and the payload.

In light of the above, the proposal shall provide a CubeSat development and operating plan which is to include all the activities related to the development of the CubeSat bus and its payload (if not purchased already developed) as well as to those related to the operation of the CubeSat once in orbit.

A CubeSat development and operating plan should consider factors such as:

• Justification for the build or buy solution for each subsystem and payload;
• Availability of students and expert assistance;
• Team experience in satellite design, development, testing and operation; and
• The trade-offs between costs, schedule, level of effort and the expected training benefits.

Operating a CubeSat launched from ISS is subject to several orbital and communication constraints which must also be considered in the CubeSat development and operating plan. Past experience indicates that CubeSats will remain in orbit between 3 to 12 months, depending upon the atmospheric density which in turn is related to the level of solar activity. Due to the high latitude of Canada, the RF communication link between a ground station and the CubeSat launched from the ISS is limited as illustrated in Table D-1.

This table illustrates that the average contact between a city in Canada and a CubeSat can vary between 754 sec/day and 2,685 sec/day.

D.5 Training Plan

Proposals shall include a detailed training plan that outlines how hands-on experience will enable Canadian HQP to develop some or all of the following skills:

• PM (resourcing, scheduling, compliance with budgets and risk management);
• Requirement verification and validation;
• Preparation for design reviews;
• Mechanical, optical or electrical engineering systems;
• Payload and satellite assembly, integration, testing and operation;
• Satellite environmental testing and operation;
• Software development;
• Data analysis;
• Interpersonal communication and leadership; and/or
• Problem solving.

The PI has the responsibility to define the training plan of each HQP. The level and content of training should be appropriate to the academic background of the HQP. Applicants should take into account the possibility of HQP turnovers and should put in place a shadowing strategy. In the event a HQP leaves the project, such a strategy ensures that the knowledge remains with the project team and thus minimizes the negative impact on the project.

The training plan should include opportunities for interaction and collaboration with other researchers or HQP, at all levels, inside and outside the organization, where appropriate.

The CSA reminds applicants to consider incorporating in their proposals collaborative research activities involving academia, industry, and foreign researchers.

CSA aims to promote approaches that increase the representation and advancement of women in space STEM disciplines, as one means to foster excellence in research and training. Applicants should strive for a balanced gender representation in the group of trainees and in their supervisors, role models and mentors. If the discipline of the proposed project tends to have a gender imbalance in the trainee population, applicants are strongly encouraged to demonstrate that this imbalance has been considered and addressed in their plan for trainee recruitment.

D.6 Public Engagement (Outreach) Plan

CCP is expected to stimulate the interest in space science and technology among young Canadians such that they will be encouraged to pursue advance STEM education. Each proposal should include a Public Engagement Plan that includes activities such as:

• Web-based utilities and social media tools;
• In-class "Show and Tell" activities;
• Local, regional or national papers and/or journals;
• Speaking engagements and presentations to secondary and post-secondary schools;
• Radio or television interviews;
• Presentations at conferences; and/or
• Teaching workshops.

D.7 PM Plan

The maximum duration for the completion of the project is four (4) years after receipt of a grant agreement, including one year for operating the CubeSat and providing to the CSA a final report showing all project results.

The PM Plan shall include the following information:

• Roles and responsibilities of each team member;
• List of tasks and deliverables of the project, complete with the WBS;
• Schedules, milestones, resources and budget associated to each task, complete with WP in accordance with the WBS;
• Project schedule in Gantt chart or other appropriate formats; and
• Technical and programmatic risk assessments and proposed mitigation strategies.

The CSA will be responsible for coordinating the integration of all CubeSats with the launch provider. As such, the CSA will conduct three progress/safety review meetings: the PDR, the CDR and the FRR. Applicants will have to include such reviews in their PM Plan. See Appendix A (Section A7) for more information on all mandatory review meetings.

The CSA intends to have the following responsibilities under this AO:

• Procure the launch capacity with a launch provider;
• In coordination with the launch provider, manage the launch manifest;
• Act as the interface between the launch provider and grantees; and
• Manage mandatory progress/ safety review meetings.

It is expected that the launch provider will be the company NanoRacks. This company will be responsible for the integration of the completed CubeSats onboard the ISS cargo flights and for arranging their launches from the ISS in 2020 and 2021. Each CubeSat will have to pass three progress/safety reviews to ensure that it will meet ISS operations requirements. To maximize the success in the progress/safety reviews, NanoRacks may provide names of solution providers with which the company has worked in the past.

PIs from grant recipient institutions are encouraged to collaborate amongst themselves to obtain discount on the purchase of bulk CubeSat parts prior to making the procurement decision during the development phase as many teams can share their problems and solutions.

Two development timelines are considered for this AO and would be based on the complexity of the proposed CubeSat design:

1. Schedule A: simple design CubeSat; and
2. Schedule B: complex design CubeSat.

Note: applicants must clearly specify in their proposals which schedule (KOM + 24 months or KOM +36 months) they are targeting.

D.8 Budget

A proposal shall describe all expenses and source of funds related to the institution's CubeSat development project, including the CSA potential grant. The budget section of the proposal should include, as a minimum, an estimate for the following categories:

• The procurement cost of the CubeSat components (e.g., radio, battery, flight computer, switches, solar cells) and the required installation for assembly and testing (e.g., soldering station, power supply) of the hardware;
• The manufacturing cost of the CubeSat components, if any (e.g., solar panels, structures);
• Travel and bursary support for HQP in participating review meetings or workshops; and
• The budget for the consultant or technical support service, if required.

Proposals involving one of the 3 territories and requesting additional (up to $50K) funding beyond $200K must clearly detail the total amount requested by describing estimated travel and living expenses.

Further information on eligible expenses is listed in Section 7.2. To ensure maximum investment on CubeSat, CSA imposes a limit on equipment rental/acquisition as well as administrative charge by the institution.

In addition, the total budget shall include in-kind or cash contribution from collaborators. As such, letters of support for other sources of funding and in-kind contribution are expected to be included in the proposal. The CSA strongly encourage the team to seek additional sources of funding.