Flights and Fieldwork for the Advancement of Science and Technology (FAST 2025)

4.1 Required Documentation

The applicant must ensure that its application includes the required documents:

• A completed application form, signed by the duly authorized representative (please see instructions on accessing the application form in Section 4.2);
• The curriculum vitae (CV) of each member of the team (principal investigator (PI), Co-investigators and PDFs who are members of the project team). Each CV must not exceed 5 pages (6 pages in French) and must follow the format presented in Appendix C; and
• Letters of support from co-investigators (Co-Is) involved in the project. The letters must include the name of the organization where the CO-I is working and the role or expertise they bring to the project. Scientists at federal government research labs are accepted as co-investigators under this AO.

The following elements may be added, if necessary, to better understand the proposed research project:

• Diagrams or figures with added details pertaining to the research project and referenced in the application form.

The following documents may be required upon request:

• Letters from other funding contributors confirming their contributions (if applicable).
• Proof of incorporation or registration (i.e., Corporation Registry).

The documents must be combined in a single PDF formatted file, in the same order as presented above with all security features disabled. The application form and supporting documents must be included in the file as a searchable PDF formatted document (PDF/A-1a format preferred). If there are any accessibility issues with the submitted PDF file, all consequences reside with the applicant.

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the application complies with all applicable federal, provincial/territorial and municipal laws and regulations.

The applicant must keep one hard copy of all the original documents above. The CSA may require applicants who successfully passed the evaluation stage to send a hard copy of their complete application with the original documents.

Additional governing documents might be requested at a later phase of the evaluation process.

Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered.

4.2 How to submit an application

The applicant must follow the steps below to access the application form and submit an application electronically:

1. Submit an account creation request using the Electronic Proposal Portal. Note that Google Chrome is the browser of choice for submissions, but supported browsers are Google Chrome and MS Edge.
2. In the "Proposal title" field of the Electronic Proposal Portal, use the following naming convention: FAST 2025_Funding Category_Name of the post-secondary institution_Short Project Name_Last name of the PI (example: FAST2025 _B_University XYZ_Optical sensor development_Smith). Only alphanumeric characters, spaces, underscores, and dashes are accepted.
3. The "Applicant" section must contain the information for the PI responsible for the research project as well as the duly authorized representative of the institution (who will be signing the application on behalf of the institution). The applicant may add as many people as necessary to the proposal by using the "+Add an additional contact" button. It is important to note that all people added will have access to the same online application form and will have the possibility to make changes.
4. Once submitted, the applicant and any additional contacts added by the applicant will each receive an email confirming the account creation. Applicants must allow up to three business days to receive the email, which will include a link to the online application form and another link to the secure portal where all required documents must be uploaded, along with the username, password and instructions (user guide). It is strongly recommended that the account creation request be submitted as early as possible.
5. Using the username and the temporary password assigned by the CSA, login to the online application form. Some security features, such as firewalls, may hinder access and the CSA must be informed of any access issues as soon as possible. Applicants may save the information entered and return to the form later, if necessary, until the application submission deadline date.
6. After completing the application form, print it as a PDF document before clicking "submit".
7. The duly authorized representative of the institution must sign the application form.
8. Combine all required documents into a single PDF document (please see Section 4.1 for details on the accepted format) and upload your complete and signed application package to the secure portal, using the link provided in the initial email, no later than October 20, 2025 at 1:00 pm (ET). Please refer to the user guide for instructions on how to securely upload documents.

Important Notes:

• If technical issues related to an account creation or to an electronic submission arise, applicants must inform the CSA as soon as possible at the email address stedia-dstemu@asc-csa.gc.ca for the issue to be investigated. Applicants are strongly encouraged to upload their complete application package well before the submission deadline.
• Applications must be submitted (successfully uploaded) by the applicants no later than October 20, 2025, at 1:00 pm (ET).
• The onus is on the applicant to ensure that their application is complete and that all documents are uploaded to the Electronic Proposal Portal before the prescribed deadline.
• The CSA is not responsible for any delays under any circumstances and will reject any applications that are uploaded after the stipulated deadline.
• Applications hand-delivered to the CSA will not be accepted.
• Applications sent by e-mail will not be accepted.
• If multiple applications are submitted, only the latest valid version received will be considered.

4.3 Service Standards – Complete Applications

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

Acknowledgement: The CSA's goal is to acknowledge receipt of proposals within two (2) weeks of receiving the completed application package.

Decision: The CSA's goal is to respond to the proposal within twenty (20) weeks of the AO's closing date and to send a grant agreement for signature within eight (8) weeks after formal approval of the proposal.

Payment:
The CSA's goal is to issue payment within four (4) weeks of the successful fulfillment of the requirements outlined in the grant agreement but is under no obligation to meet this deadline.

Compliance with these service standards is a shared responsibility. Applicants must submit all required documentation in a timely fashion. Service standards may vary by Announcement of Opportunity.

5.1 Eligibility criteria

Applications will first be submitted for an eligibility assessment to verify whether they comply with the following criteria:

• The applicant is an eligible recipient as defined in Section 3.1;
• The proposed project is an eligible project as defined in Sections 3.2 and 3.3 (in alignment with the supplemental information provided in Appendix A); and
• The application complies with the funding provisions of the program stated in Section 6.1.

5.2 Evaluation criteria

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

• Benefits to Canada and Outcomes; and
• Feasibility, Resources, and Risks.

Funding Categories A and B will be evaluated slightly differently than Funding Category C. To be considered eligible for funding under all funding categories, the total score obtained using the graded criteria must be 70/100 or greater. Table 2 below shows the evaluation criteria, sub-criteria and associated thresholds, while Table 3 shows a brief description of the graded criteria for all funding categories.

A detailed description of the evaluation criteria and sub-criteria for all funding categories can be found in Appendix B (for Funding Categories A and B, please see B1 and for Funding Category C, please see Appendix B2).

5.3 Evaluation process

Only applications that have passed the eligibility assessment listed in Section 5.1 will be given further consideration.

Once the eligibility criteria are confirmed, evaluators will assess the screened applications according to the criteria listed in Section 5.2 and detailed in Appendix B. Applicants are encouraged to provide a detailed and clear description of how they meet each criterion.

Evaluators shall be experts in the field(s) relevant to the applications and may include representatives of the Government of Canada (departments, agencies and organizations) and other governmental or non-government agencies and organizations. If applicable, a multidisciplinary evaluation committee will be formed to evaluate interdisciplinary applications.

Before a final decision is made, the CSA may conduct any consultation and seek advice or input from other organizations as it deems necessary to obtain any information useful for the evaluation of the application.

The final funding decisions will be done through a strategic overall selection, taking into consideration the following elements:

• Alignment with the identified research priorities;
• Balance between the research disciplines identified in Section 3.3 of the AO;
• Regional distribution;
• Distribution amongst universities and post-secondary institutions;
• Representation of PIs belonging to one or more of the equity-deserving groups;
• Support for early career researchers (ECRs) acting as PI. For the purposes of this AO, an ECR is defined as a person who has held their first independent academic position within the last five years, excluding any leave period(s) for family or personal reasons.

6.1 Available Funding and Duration

The maximum grant that a recipient can receive for each project from the CSA under this AO is:

• Funding Category A: up to $450,000 for a project of up to three years, for projects that are not requesting access to a CSA-supported research platform (please see Appendix A4 for further details) and that require substantial expenditures¹ from service providers².
• Funding Category B: up to $300,000 for a project of up to three years, for projects requesting access to a CSA-supported research platform (please see Appendix A4 for further details) or that do not require substantial expenditures from service providers.
• Funding Category C: up to $20,000 for a project of up to two years, for projects at the college/undergraduate level that support research through experiments on low-cost research platforms³.

The CSA accepts applications with budgets less than the maximum grant amount identified for each funding category above. The Project budget in the application should align with the scope of the proposed research project and allow for the project to achieve the identified objectives.

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. The resulting number of funded projects under this AO will depend on funding availability and the results of the evaluation process.

Given the objectives of this AO and the limited available budget, an eligible recipient (institution) may submit several applications; however, if two or more applications are submitted with the same designated PI, the CSA reserves the right to select only one of these projects. Two or more eligible recipients (institutions) may submit separate applications for the same project if their applications concern the development of distinct technologies or scientific research and if the students and PDFs involved in these different projects are not the same.

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

6.2 Eligible costs

Eligible costs are costs that are directly related to the project and are essential to achieve the expected results of the project. The costs are to be incurred directly by the applicant. Incurred Costs means any expense made to carry out the project related to an Eligible Cost, which is due and payable. The redistribution of funds (sub-award) is not permitted under this AO. The CSA will not contribute to costs incurred prior to the coming into force of a Funding Agreement and after the Project Completion Date.

Eligible costs under this AO are as follows for each of the funding categories:

The salaries of university faculty or college professors/teachers are not eligible expenses under this AO. However, the salaries of non-faculty co-investigators (e.g. technicians, program managers, etc.) are eligible expenses (may fall under the "Salaries and benefits paid to persons other than eligible students" eligible cost category).

Under no circumstances can the total amount of assistance from governmental sources (federal, provincial, territorial and municipal) to the recipient exceed 100% of the total project cost.

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

7.1 Agreement

Upon favorable review of the applications, the CSA will send a Grant agreement to the successful applicant. The Grant agreement will outline the rights, roles, and obligations of each respective party. In the event of any discrepancies between this AO and a Grant agreement between the CSA and the recipient, the latter document will take precedence.

For greater clarity, no liability and no commitment or obligation exist on the part of the CSA to issue a Grant payment to the applicant until a Grant agreement is signed by both parties. Furthermore, any costs or expenses incurred or paid by the recipient prior to the execution of a written Grant agreement by both parties are the sole responsibility of the applicant, and no liability exists on the part of the CSA.

Prior to issuing a grant agreement, the successful applicant must confirm that access to the research platform has been secured (if applicable). The issuance of a grant agreement is conditional upon the applicant having secured this access (or an equivalent alternative) as outlined in their application. If this confirmation is not received within the timeframe set by the CSA, the CSA reserves the right to reject the application at its entire discretion.

7.2 Payments

For grant agreements, payments will be made in a lump sum or instalments, as described in the signed agreement. Grant funding agreements 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 – Research Component and inform the CSA in writing of any changes to the conditions used in determining their eligibility for this component.

7.3 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 three (3) years after the completion date of the project, in the event of an audit. This documentation shall be available upon request.

7.4 Intellectual property

All intellectual property developed by the recipient in the course of the project shall vest in the recipient. The recipient will undertake to protect all intellectual property he will possess, acquire or develop during the project.

7.5 Organizations in Quebec

7.5.1 Act Respecting the Ministère du Conseil exécutif, CQLR c M-30

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, CQLR c 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 du Québec aux relations canadiennes (SQRC), 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.

Quebec applicants must complete, Section 4A of the application form.

7.5.2 Loi sur la langue officielle et commune du Québec

La Loi sur la langue officielle et commune du Québec, le français (LLOQ) changes section 55 of the Charter of the French Language and came into force on June 1st 2023. Since that date, the conclusion of a G&C Agreement in English in Quebec is subject to the following conditions for the recipient to be bound by the Agreement:

• A French version of the Agreement must be produced including the Schedules and must be given to the recipient before the signing of the English version.
• The recipient must consent to signs the Agreement in English and continue communications in English thereafter.
• Only one Agreement must be signed, either the French or English version.

7.6 Organizations in Alberta

An organization located in Alberta may be subject to the Provincial Priorities Act (Chapter P-35.5) (the Act) and its Provincial Priorities Regulation (Alberta Regulation 21/2025) (the Regulation).

As per section 2 of the Act, provincial entities listed in the Act and Regulations must obtain prior approval from the Government of Alberta in accordance with the process set out in the Act and in the Regulation before entering into an agreement with the Government of Canada.

Therefore, any entity that falls under the application of the Act or the Regulation must obtain such authorization prior to entering into an agreement with the CSA.

Applicants having activities in Alberta must complete Section 4B of the application form.

7.7 Performance Measurement

The CSA will ask the recipients to report on various performance measurement indicators throughout the execution of the project. Examples include but are not limited to:

Creation of knowledge:

• Advancement of knowledge (including technological breakthroughs);
• Production of knowledge (including publications, presentations, research reports). Please refer to section 7.8 for expectations regarding open publications;
• Intellectual property (including patents) generated by the project.

Increased capacity:

• Project research team (including students and PDFs involved). Note that the grant recipient may be asked to provide the names of the research team members, including the students and PDFs.

Collaboration:

• Partnerships and collaborations.

Some questions relating to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion may also be included.

7.8 Open Access Publications

In the event that publications result from the project, the CSA wishes to promote the dissemination of findings that result from the projects it funds as quickly and to the greatest number of people as possible. Improved access to scientific results not only allows scientists to use a broader range of resources and knowledge, but also improves research collaboration and coordination, strengthens citizen engagement, and supports the economy.

Thus, the CSA promotes the use of open access publication and archiving by recipients to facilitate the widest dissemination of findings that result from its funded projects. With this in mind, recipients are invited to publish, in a timely manner, their articles by using one of the following methods:

1. (a) Accessible online repository (institutional or disciplinary) so that the publication is freely accessible.
2. (b) Journal offering open access to articles.

It should be noted that these two methods are not mutually exclusive and that recipients are encouraged to use both.

In addition, the CSA wishes to receive, as a courtesy, a copy of the publications (if not freely accessible) or the hyperlink (if freely accessible) and its digital object identifier (DOI). These will be used to improve accessibility by including them in the CSA publications directory.

A1. Canadian students

For this AO, Canadian students include:

• College students;
• Undergraduate students;
• Graduate students (master's and doctorate levels); and
• Post-doctoral fellows (PDFs).

For this AO, the term "Canadian students" refers to all students (including international students) that are registered at a Canadian university or post-secondary institution as well as post-doctoral fellows. In entering the number of students in the application form, please ensure that the same student is not counted multiple times.. Each student is counted as only one (1) student.

A2. Training plan

Applications must include a training plan, details of which must be entered in the application form, and that consists of the following:

• Detailed information on project activities in which the students will participate, according to their academic level, along with a detailed breakdown of tasks;
• Information on the method or methods that will be used to supervise the students along with the team members responsible for each task; and
• Information on the skills the students involved are expected to acquire and how those skills are relevant to the space sector (i.e.: sought-after by potential employers in the space sector).

The training level and content should be tailored to the research discipline as well as the academic level of the students involved and should include opportunities to interact and collaborate with other researchers within or outside the educational institution, as applicable.

The CSA strongly encourages collaborative research activities involving academia and industry in which students may be exposed to an industrial work environment.

A3. Details on the use of suborbital/orbital platforms, research sites, ground infrastructure, and instruments

If the project includes the use of a flight, fieldwork, infrastructure, or of scientific or data analysis instruments, the application should describe any mitigation measures that will be undertaken to address the risk associated with the non-availability of those elements and the potential impact on the success of the project.

The following are provided as examples:

A3.1 Suborbital/orbital platforms

• Stratospheric and/or high-altitude balloons.
• Airplanes, helicopters and/or drones.
• Aircraft conducting parabolic flights, such as the National Research Council's Falcon-20 (please see their website for further detail).
• Rockets.
• Sounding rockets.
• Nanosatellites or CubeSats.
• Suborbital Reusable Launch Vehicles (SRLV) (e.g., commercially developed reusable space vehicles that may carry humans or cargo).

A3.2 Research sites

• Analogue sites that replicate some features and/or conditions that could be found on Mars, the Moon, or on other planetary bodies and asteroids (see Appendix A4.2 for details on the analogue terrain at the CSA headquarters)
• Laboratories or institutions that are suitable for research relevant to human spaceflight.
• Isolated, remote field stations or similar environments that are analogs of spaceflight, and that can be used to study health on Earth (for research projects pertaining to life sciences and space health).

A3.3 Ground-based infrastructure

• Terrestrial prototypes of stationary or mobile surface structures for planetary exploration (e.g., planetary rovers, landers).
• Astronomical observatory infrastructure.
• Remote sensing infrastructure located in a remote environment.
• Microgravity simulation infrastructure.
• Scientific instruments similar to those on board a spacecraft.
• Environmental test chambers, including those simulating the pressure, temperature, humidity, wind, atmospheric composition and/or regolith of planetary bodies.
• Health monitoring instruments or infrastructure that simulate certain components or conditions of human spaceflight (e.g., isolation and confinement, extra-vehicular activity (EVA), operational environment, living and working conditions).
• Drop-towers, human or animal centrifuges.
• Microgravity simulation using rotating wall bioreactors (RWBs) or clinostats (relevant microbial, cellular or whole-animal based research)
• Radiation facilities.

A4. CSA-supported access to a research platform

Under this AO, applicants may request CSA-facilitated access to the following research platforms:

• Access through the CSA to the Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES) stratospheric balloons;
• Access to certain CSA infrastructure and facilities, pending availability, at the CSA in Longueuil, for field investigations.

If a proponent requests access to and/ or use of CSA-supported research platforms (including facilities, equipment, technical expertise), an additional agreement may have to be signed between the CSA and the recipient provided that the proposal has been selected for funding.

A4.1 CSA-supported access to the CNES stratospheric balloons

In 2007 and again in 2010, scientists recommended that the CSA establish an active and sustainable Canadian balloon program with regular yearly flight opportunities. This was achieved through a ten-year agreement, signed in 2012 with the CNES, to jointly conduct stratospheric balloon flights from Canada.

The CSA invested in the construction of a launch base in Timmins, Ontario, allowing the CNES to launch its zero-pressure balloons (ZPB) from Canada. In exchange, the CNES provides annual flight opportunities on ZPB for Canada from Timmins and abroad.

Building on their successful partnership, both organizations renewed the ten-year agreement in September 2022 during the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Paris. As part of this second agreement, the CSA has invested in new dedicated infrastructure for scientists and balloon operators.

Selected grant recipients may be allowed to launch their instruments on these ZPB as part of the CSA's STRATOS program. The altitude of stratospheric balloons typically ranges between 18 and 42 kms, depending on mission objectives, payload specifications and weather conditions. Possible balloon launch sites include the following: Timmins, Ontario (mid-latitude); Kiruna, Sweden (Arctic); and Alice Springs, Australia (South Hemisphere mid-latitude). In addition, the CNES and the Brazilian Space Agency (Agência Espacial Brasileira - AEB) signed an agreement in 2023 for the development of a new launch site in Palmas, Brazil (equatorial latitude). The first flight at this new launch site is tentatively planned in 2027.

The CSA has also developed in-house capability to launch and recover stratospheric expandable balloons (SEBs) and has offered SEB opportunities for scientific research since 2025. A SEB reaches an altitude of approximately 25-30 kms before the balloon bursts, at which time a parachute is released to ensure a soft landing. Unlike ZPB flights, SEB flights cannot maintain altitude and the flight duration is approximately 120 minutes. In addition, the maximum capacity for a SEB flight is approximately 10 kg.

A STRATOS balloon campaign can have three formats: only ZPB flights, only SEB flights, or both ZPB and SEB flights. The campaign schedule and location are decided jointly by the CSA and the CNES based on scientific needs. Launch locations are still to be confirmed for the coming years and are tentatively planned as follows:

• 2026 campaign: Only SEB flights, likely in August (Timmins, Ontario).
• 2027 campaign(s): Only ZPB flights over 2 campaigns; one during the wet season in February/March and one during the dry season between July and September (Palmas, Brazil). Only SEB flights, likely in August (Timmins, Ontario)
• 2028 campaign: ZPB and SEB, dates to be determined but likely in August (Timmins, Ontario)

During a ZPB launch campaign, multiple balloons are launched. All launches can accommodate a single primary payload, multiple secondary payloads, or both. Consequently, applicants will be considered for either a primary slot or a secondary slot, depending on their payload's mass and volume and power requirements. Typically, a primary payload can weigh up to 800 kg, and a secondary payload can weigh up to 100 kg.

For primary payloads greater than 400 kg, grant recipients may be required to provide their own gondola to accommodate their payload. If that is the case, neither the CNES nor the CSA will be responsible for providing such a gondola, including the structure and pointing systems. However, the CSA and the CNES can provide the telemetry and telecommunications subsystem (the CNES PASTIS communication system downlink is limited to 1400 kbit/s) that will allow the payload communications system to send data to the ground and uplink commands. In some cases, the CSA can also provide a power subsystem (unregulated, 28 V nominal), including battery packs and a power distribution capacity.

In the case of secondary payloads, the recipient must provide a self-contained payload that will not interfere with the primary payload. Secondary payloads will be accepted depending on the volume, mass, and power available on board the gondola. Although power and communications subsystems can be provided by the gondola, there may be special cases where payloads would need to supply their own power. These will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. The total communications downlink bandwidth allocation (1400 kbit/s) will be shared by all the payloads onboard. All primary and secondary payloads flying with the CSA/CNES balloons can use the provided CSA uPRISM system for in-flight position and attitude knowledge. Post-flight position and attitude knowledge may also be shared with recipients upon their request.

Grant recipients intending to use a ZPB flight will be required to fill out a questionnaire providing additional information on the payload, the flight requirements, constraints, and payload hazards. The recipient will subsequently be responsible for ensuring that its payload and its gondola (if applicable) will be ready on time for the given flight window. Payload safety and interface requirements, which are outlined in the CNES User Manual, will be provided to the recipient. Payloads shall meet all requirements in order to fly, and any deviations or non-compliance must be reviewed and approved by the CSA and/or CNES in advance of the flight. The recipient will follow the CSA's payload certification process, which includes submitting an Experiment Safety Data Package along with a Requirements Compliance Matrix, Hazard Sheets and a Safe Recovery Procedure, in order to get flight certification and approval for the flight. The CSA will carry out an internal technology assessment several months prior to the balloon campaign to confirm whether or not the proposed payload is ready for the flight.

Payload certification is also required for SEB flights. The CSA will provide instructions and guidance for grant recipients who would like to fly their research experiments on a SEB.

The CSA will do its utmost to fly all FAST grant recipient payloads that meet the payload requirements and that are compatible with the STRATOS balloon campaign plans and schedule.

Applicants interested in using a STRATOS balloon flight must clearly state so in their application and provide information on their payload as well as their flight preferences (such as period of the year for a flight, launch site, required flight profile and the expected support required by the CNES and the CSA). However, the CSA cannot guarantee a flight at the location, period of the year or time of day stated in a recipient's application.

Expenses associated with a STRATOS balloon launch, flight operations, and payload recovery will be supported by the CSA. An additional agreement may have to be signed between the CSA and the recipient, provided that the proposal has been selected for funding.

For general information on the CSA's balloon program, please refer to the Stratospheric balloons Web page.

To obtain a copy of the Stratospheric Balloon User Manual, please send a request to: stedia-dstemu@asc-csa.gc.ca. This document is subject to change at any time. Notice of such changes will be sent only to organizations that have officially requested a copy of the document.

A4.2 Access to CSA infrastructure and facilities for field investigations in Longueuil, Quebec

In order to facilitate the ground testing and demonstration of planetary exploration technologies and to support field investigations to prepare Canada for future planetary exploration missions, the CSA has developed infrastructure and facilities to test, integrate and operate planetary exploration systems and equipment, such as rovers and scientific instruments, in an environment similar to that of a planetary mission. The facilities include integration labs, test facilities, and a planetary analogue terrain.

The CSA may make available to grant recipients, subject to availability, its outdoor facilities and infrastructure to support the testing, integration and operation of exploration systems and equipment (e.g. rovers, instruments, payloads). This access may include expert engineering and technical staff resources to operate the CSA-provided facilities and infrastructure and to support the recipients while on site at the CSA, subject to experts' availability.

Applicants interested in accessing the CSA facilities must clearly state so in their application and provide information on their rover, instrument, or payload as well as their schedule. However, the CSA cannot guarantee that a specific facility or technical expert will be available at the location, period of the year, or time of day stated in a recipient's application. The application must also mention the risks and mitigation measures if the requested CSA facilities and resources cannot be made available.

A4.2.1 Description of facilities

The following documentation regarding CSA facilities may be provided upon request:

• Analogue Terrain (AT) Health and Safety Guidelines; and
• Digital Elevation Map of the Analogue Terrain (AT).

To obtain copies of these documents, please send a request to stedia-dstemu@asc-csa.gc.ca. Brief descriptions of the facilities are provided below.

Analogue Terrain (AT)

The analogue terrain located at the CSA is a 60 x 120-metre outdoor facility offering various surface features and topographies to simulate the planetary surface, such as rock bed, crater, summit, and flag stone patch.

A4.2.2 Details regarding the process

Once a project has been selected, the CSA will organize a technical meeting during which the applicant will have to provide additional technical information on its rover, instrument or payload as well as field investigation requirements relative to its use of CSA facilities and infrastructure. The applicant will subsequently be responsible for ensuring that its equipment will be ready on time and that it meets the CSA safety and interface requirements.

The preliminary schedule provided in the application must include target dates for the demonstration of capacities (deployment) and a readiness review that must be carried out four weeks prior to the deployment. The CSA aims to accommodate all selected FAST requests that meet the CSA health and safety (H&S), security, and interface requirements and that are compatible with ongoing CSA plans for the use of its facilities, infrastructure and technical support resources.

Users of the CSA facilities (e.g. Analogue Terrain) will be sent facility-specific H&S plan(s) prior to their arrival. All participants will be asked to respond with an email stating that they have read, understood, and will comply with the H&S requirements.

CSA badging will be arranged prior to arrival. Depending on the length of the visit and the frequency of trips to the CSA, either a visitor's badge (escort required) or a CSA access badge (no escort required) will be issued upon arrival. For CSA Visitor Badges, Canadians must show ID (e.g. driver's license) and non-Canadians must show ID, a student/work visa, and a passport. For CSA access badges, a government security check will be done, including fingerprinting, and requiring a form to be filled out and submitted approximately two weeks prior to the visit.

B1. Funding Categories A and B

B2. Funding Category C

Appendix C – Narrative CV Format

Appendix D – CSA-Supported Missions/Projects

Projects related to the following missions or projects are ineligible under this AO.

• ARIEL (Atmospheric remote-sensing infrared exoplanet large-survey)
• AstroSat
• CloudSat
• CSA Lunar Rover Mission
• Geospace Observatory (GO) Canada
• HAWC (High-altitude Aerosols, Water Vapour and Clouds)
• JWST (James Webb Space Telescope)
• LEAP (Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program) – please also see the news release from July 29, 2025, for further details on LEAP investments.
• MSL (Mars Science Laboratory)
• Odin
• OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer)
• RADICALS (RADiation Impacts on Climate and Atmospheric Loss Satellite)
• SCISAT
• Swarm
• SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography)
• THEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions During Substorms)
• WildFireSat
• XRISM (X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission XGS)