CubeSat Initiative in Canada for STEM (CUBICS) 2026

3.1 Eligible Recipients

Canadian universities and post-secondary institutions are eligible under this AO.

3.2 Eligible Projects

The CSA invites the eligible institutions to submit a proposal under one of the following two streams (see Section 7.1 for further details):

• Stream 1: 6U CubeSat Project: for projects that will design, build, test, and eventually launch and operate a 6U CubeSat science mission. The unique requirements for 6U applications are explained in detail in Appendix B.1. Funding award is up to $650,000 and the maximum duration of the project is four (4) years, including the operation, data collection, and analysis phase.
• Stream 2: CubeSat Project (up to 3U): for projects that will design, build, test, and eventually launch and operate a CubeSat science mission that may be up to 3U (i.e., 1U or 2U proposals are eligible). Funding award is up to $350,000 and the maximum duration of the project is three (3) years, including the operation, data collection, and analysis phase.

To be eligible, proposals must include the following elements:

1. Proposed activities must be related to at least one (1) priority outlined in the Space Strategy for Canada (see Section 3.3);
2. Proposals must fall under one of the two funding streams outlined above.
3. Proposals must clearly demonstrate that they have sufficient capability in the following areas:
   1. Obtaining licenses for required radio frequencies; and
   2. Access to a ground station facility and laboratory facilities.
4. Proposals must include detailed information on how the project may be used for the amateur radio community if the CubeSat is designed to use an amateur radio frequency. For more information, please consult the Appendix B, Section B4.
5. Proposed missions must be designed to comply with applicable Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) requirements for satellite communications, including obtain and use of authorized frequency bands and compliance with Canadian radiocommunication regulations. Proposed missions must also be capable of meeting ISED's updated satellite licensing conditions issued in April 2026, including current requirements for orbital debris mitigation and end of life disposal.
6. Proposals that fall under the definition of remote sensing space systems in the Remote Sensing Space Systems Act must clearly describe the plan to support the CubeSat operations during the entire period of the mission, as per Global Affairs Canada requirements.

For Stream 1 applications: It is acceptable for the academic institution to submit more than one Stream 1 applications with different primary payloads teams. It is also acceptable for the primary payload to be included in two Stream 1 applications.

In all situations, each academic institution will receive a maximum of one grant from this AO.

Projects proposing CubeSats in advanced development stages, rather than the initial phase, are eligible under this AO; however, the proposals should clearly demonstrate how the projects will achieve the objectives of the AO, especially the postsecondary students' skills and knowledge development.

The CSA will strive to accommodate the timelines of the selected projects but due to operational, contractual, and scheduling constraints, the alignment of the technical guidance, mentorship, and launch dates with each project milestone cannot be guaranteed.

Important Notes Regarding Eligible Projects:

• Although we strongly encourage the involvement of students in all aspects of the project, including the leadership roles, the academic institution and the Principal Investigator (PI) submitting the proposal will remain solely and fully responsible for the conduct of the project activities and its outcomes for the entire duration of the project. The PI must also be responsible for regulatory compliance for the entire duration of the mission.
• For this AO, Canadian students include college students, undergraduate and graduate students (master's and doctorate levels) and postdoctoral fellows. The term "Canadian students" refers to all students (including international students) who are registered in a Canadian university or other post-secondary institution.
• Projects submitted under this AO must not include activities currently funded by another CSA funding opportunity. Applicants with ongoing projects funded by the CSA must demonstrate that proposed activities are complementary in nature and do not overlap with those of the previously funded project.
• An application related to a specific project must be submitted by only one eligible applicant (institution), who would be the only signatory of the grant (a proposal submitted by several co-applicants will not be accepted).

For further useful background information on CubeSat projects, please see Appendix B.

All development phases necessary for a project are eligible for funding. Any logical breakdown or combination of these phases can constitute a funded project under this AO. However, breaking down a project into numerous phases submitted as distinct proposals to obtain more than the maximum grant under this AO is not allowed. Furthermore, the completion of a funded phase does not automatically guarantee future funding of the remaining phases.

3.3 Links to CSA Priorities

To be eligible, projects supported under this AO must contribute to at least one (1) CSA priority, as per the Space Strategy for Canada, by advancing scientific knowledge and/or developing new technologies in priority areas.

3.4 Links to the Class 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 highly qualified personnel (HQPs) in Canada in areas relevant to the priorities of the CSA;
• To support the development of science and technology relevant to the priorities of the CSA.

4.1 Required Documentation

The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application includes all required documentation, as follows:

• A completed application form, signed by the duly authorized representative (please see instructions accessing the application form in the Section 4.2).
• The curriculum vitae (CV) of the Principal Investigator (PI), Co-investigators (Co-I) and other members of the team known at the time of the application. Each CV must not exceed 5 pages (6 pages in French) and must follow the format presented in Appendix D.
• A letter of support from each Co-I (if applicable) confirming their intent to participate in the project and the nature of their participation.
• For projects with industrial partners, other universities or organizations, a letter of support confirming their intent to participate in the project and the nature and the level of their participation.
  • Letters from other funding organizations confirming their financial contributions (if applicable).

The following elements may be added to the final PDF document, 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 document may be required upon request:

• A copy of the document(s) confirming the legal name of the applicant.

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

The applicant must keep one hard copy of all the original documents above. At any time, the CSA may require applicants who successfully passed the evaluation stage described in Section 5 of the AO to send a hard copy of their complete application with the original documents.

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

4.2 Submit a completed application electronically

Applicants must follow the steps below to access the application form and submit their application electronically

• Submit an account creation request for this AO using the Electronic Proposal Portal. Please note that Google Chrome is the browser of choice for submissions. The Microsoft Edge browser is also supported.
• In the "Proposal title" field of the Electronic Proposal Portal, please use the following formatting standard: CUBICS 2026_Stream (1 or 2)_Name Of Institution_Last name of PI (e.g. CUBICS 2026_1_InstitutionName_Smith).
• In the "Organization" section, under "Type," please select "Canadian university or postsecondary institution."
• The "Applicant" portion must include information about the Principal Investigator, but they must add the duly authorized representative of the institution as an additional contact, as the duly authorized representative must sign the complete application package. The applicants can add as many additional contacts as they wish, all of whom will have editing access to the same application form.
• Allow up to three business days for the CSA to send an email confirming the account creation as well as instructions (user guide) on how to access the platform. It is strongly recommended that the account creation request be submitted as early as possible.
• Once the account is created, applicants will receive two emails with the links: one for the online application form, and one for the secure portal, where complete application packages must be uploaded.
• Connect to the online Application Form and complete it as per instruction provided; the system permits users to save the application form, close it, and resume completion later.
• After completing the application form, print it as a PDF document before clicking "submit". The duly authorized representative of the institution must sign the PDF application form.
• 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. Please refer to the user guide for instructions on how to securely upload documents.

Please note:

• If technical issues related to account creation or to electronic submission cannot be resolved, applicants must inform the CSA as soon as possible at the email address bpsc-gcpo@asc-csa.gc.ca for the issue to be investigated. Applicants are strongly encouraged to upload their complete application well before the submission deadline.
• Applications must be submitted (successfully uploaded) by the applicants no later than Thursday, November 19, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).
• The onus is on the applicant to ensure that their application is complete and that all documents are uploaded on the Electronic Proposal Portal within the prescribed deadline.
• The CSA is not responsible for any delays under any circumstances and will reject applications that are uploaded after the stipulated deadline.
• Hand-delivered applications and applications sent by email will not be accepted.
• If multiple applications are submitted, only the latest version received will be considered.

The application must be prepared as a single PDF-formatted file containing all the above requested documents with all security features disabled. The proposal and supporting documents should be included in the file as searchable PDF-formatted documents (PDF/A-1a or PDF/A-2a formats preferred). If there are any accessibility issues with the submitted PDF file, all consequences reside with the applicant.

Questions and answers related to this AO will be posted on the CSA website in the FAQ Section of this AO (see Section 9). The CSA will not answer questions received after November 9, 2026, at 4 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).

4.3 Service Standards – Complete Applications

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

Acknowledgement of receipt: The CSA's goal is to acknowledge receipt of proposals within two (2) weeks following the reception of the proposal.

Decision: The CSA's goal is to respond to the application within fifteen (15) weeks of the AO's closing date, and to send a grant agreement for signature within four (4) 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.

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

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, 3.3 and 3.4;
• The application complies with the funding provisions of the program stated in Section 7.1.

5.2 Evaluation Criteria

Once the eligibility assessment is completed, applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria. The onus is on applicants to address these explicitly in their applications.

• Benefits for Canada and outcomes;
• Feasibility and risks; and
• Resources.

Table 1 below shows the criteria, sub-criteria and associated thresholds, while Table 2 shows a brief description of the graded criteria. A detailed breakdown of all the evaluation criteria is described in Appendix C. To be considered eligible for funding, the total score obtained for these graded criteria must be 70/100 or greater.

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 described in more details in Appendix C. The evaluators will include experts in the fields relevant to the proposals. Evaluators may include representatives of the Government of Canada and of other countries, as well as representatives of other governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations. If applicable, a multidisciplinary evaluation committee will be formed to evaluate interdisciplinary applications.

An application must receive an overall minimum score of 70%, as well as achieve the minimum thresholds specified in Table 2, in order to be deemed eligible for funding.

Before a final decision is made, the CSA's program manager responsible for this AO may seek input and advice from other organizations, including municipal, provincial, territorial and federal governmental agencies and organizations.

A selection committee made up of CSA experts may carry out a strategic overall selection based on CSA priorities, such as but not limited to:

• Regional geographic distribution.
• Diversity among universities and postsecondary institutions.
• Representation of PIs who are part of one of the underrepresented groups (women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities and visible minorities).

6.1 Technical guidance and mentorship from the CSA

The CSA may provide guidance to the grant recipients to ensure that the teams gain as much knowledge, skills and expertise as possible through their participation in CUBICS. The objectives of providing such guidance are to maximize the teams' overall learning experience by:

• Optimizing their acquisition of knowledge and experience related to space missions.
• Fostering opportunities for collaboration and networking among participating teams, with industry or not for profit organizations.
• Guiding the team through technical challenges.
• Supporting the teams to ensure that their CubeSat complies with regulations (e.g., radio licenses) and sharing best practices (for example, orbital debris, launch safety).
• Inspiring participants to pursue a career or an entrepreneurial path in the space sector through the acquisition of practical knowledge that will increase their level of employability or the chances to succeed in their space ventures.

Teams under both streams will have the opportunity to submit their technical questions to the CSA's technical experts and to participate in various activities, such as:

• Webinars.
• Videoconferences.
• Design reviews.
• National workshop(s) with a focus on hands-on training (e.g. electronics assembly) at the CSA.

The intention behind the activities listed above is to create collaborative mechanisms to assist all teams in achieving their project goals. The CSA values collaboration between teams as one of the most important vehicles to maximize student knowledge, skills and expertise. Teams will be strongly encouraged to support and assist each other in a non-competitive environment.

In addition to the above activities, the CSA may provide training documents that teams could find useful when designing and building their payload or CubeSat.

Important notes:

Each recipient will lead the execution and overall success of its project, with full ownership of all development activities. While the CSA will provide support and oversight where appropriate, the projects will remain the sole responsibility of the recipients. All final decisions regarding the different phases of the CubeSat project will rest with the recipients.

The CSA intends to offer annual in-person workshops that may be hosted at the CSA's John H. Chapman Space Centre located in Saint-Hubert, Quebec. Each team is strongly encouraged to send a minimum two (2) students to attend each of these workshops. The applicant should clearly provide the funding plan associated with the travel expenses related to the attendance of at least two workshops and to coordinate the logistics with the CSA.

6.2 Access to Launch Opportunities

The recipients under both streams may have the opportunity to launch their CubeSat into space, operate their satellite and conduct their scientific experiment and/or validation of their science-related technology from space. The CSA intends, subject to the availability of funds, to procure launches for eligible CubeSats only. To be eligible for launch, each CubeSat funded under this AO will have to successfully meet certain requirements, including but not limited to the following:

• Meet all the launcher's interface design and safety requirements in a timely manner (requirements will be confirmed subsequently to selected recipients).
• Must comply fully with all applicable regulatory requirements in Canada or internationally.
• Obtain, in a timely manner, all the required licenses to launch and operate the CubeSat; and
• Have access to a ground station facility or facilities and provide proof of proper uplink and downlink functions.

It should also be noted that access to launch opportunities is entirely at the CSA and its designated ride-share service provider's discretion. The CubeSats will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, and they must successfully meet specific requirements to be considered for launch. CSA intends to procure launch for high inclination orbit and most likely they are at sun-synchronous inclination in the 500-620 km altitude range. However, it is important to note that the Right Ascension of the Ascending Node (RAAN) of the orbit is decided by the launch provider. CubeSat teams must not make any assumption that their desired RAAN can be accommodated.

The CSA intends to acquire launch opportunities for eligible CubeSats between three (3) and four (4) years after the issuance of the grant to the recipient. As such, if the grant recipient wants to benefit from the CSA launch opportunity, they must aim to complete their CubeSats (including having obtained the required radio frequency licenses, having implemented or confirmed access to a ground station facility or facilities, and passed all testing required by the launch provider) within three (3) or four (4) years after their project start date. The implementation schedule in the applicants' proposal must reflect this timeline.

The CSA will be the liaison with the contracted launch service provider(s). If they commit to the CSA launch opportunity, no CUBICS team is to liaise directly with the launch service provider(s) contracted by the CSA.

The grant recipients may opt out of the launch opportunity offered by the CSA. No additional funding will be awarded to the teams opting for another launch provider than those offered by the CSA. Opting for another launch provider will not impact the team's access to CSA technical guidance, mentoring and facilities.

The projects that will be deemed ineligible for launch within the timeframe established by the CSA must continue the development of the CubeSat as per the grant agreement.

7.1 Available Funding and Duration

Transfer payments will be made through grants agreements. The total funding available under this AO is currently expected to be approximately $2.4 million. The two (2) funding categories are:

• Stream 1: Maximum grant of $650,000 for a 6U CubeSat Project, over a maximum period of up to four (4) years. The maximum amount available per year is $250,000.
• Stream 2: Maximum grant of $350,000 for an up to 3U CubeSat project, over a maximum period of up to three (3) years. The maximum amount available per year is $200,000

For this AO, the CSA intends to fund up to two (2) projects under Stream 1 and up to seven (7) grant projects under Stream 2. However, the overall number of grants awarded in each stream and in total, as well as their value may vary, and are dependent on the availability of funds, the results of the evaluation process and the availability of CSA nonfinancial resources.

Given the objectives of this AO, an eligible recipient (Canadian university or postsecondary institution) may submit multiple 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. An eligible recipient may submit only one application for the same CubeSat project.

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

In no circumstance 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.

7.2 Eligible Costs

Eligible costs are costs that are essential to carry out the Project, reasonable and directly related to the Project 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. 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 include:

• Access fees
• Accommodation and meal allowances;
• Acquisition, development and printing of materials;
• Acquisition or rental of equipment;
• Bursaries;
• Consultant services;
• Costs related to obtaining security clearance;
• Data acquisition;
• Data management;
• Laboratory analysis services;
• License and permit fees;
• Materials and supplies (including payload or satellite components and hardware);
• Overhead (administrative) costs (10% of the project cost and not exceeding $20,000);
• 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;
• Publication and communication services;
• Registration fees;
• Salaries and benefits paid to eligible students and postdoctoral fellows;
• Translation services;
• Travel expenses, including student attendance of CubeSat workshops at CSA.

8.1 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.

8.2 Payments

For grant agreements, payments will be made in 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.

Only eligible costs incurred after the funding agreement is signed and indicated in the agreement will be paid.

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

8.4 Intellectual Property

All intellectual property developed by the recipient during 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.

8.5 Organizations in Quebec

8.5.1 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 (L.R.Q., 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 5 of the application form.

8.5.2 Loi sur la langue officielle et commune du Québec

La Loi sur la langue officielle et commune du Québec, le français 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.

8.6 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 Canadian Space Agency.

Applicants having activities in Alberta must complete Section 5 of the application form.

8.7 Performance Measurement

The CSA will ask the recipients to report on certain elements in their projects, such as the following:

• Increased capacity:
  • Project research team (including students and postdoctoral fellows (PDFs) involved). Note that the grant recipient may be asked to provide the names of the research team members, including the students and PDFs.
• Creation of knowledge:
  • Advancement of knowledge (including technological breakthroughs, technologies leading to a higher level);
  • Production of knowledge (including publications);
  • Presentations (including conferences, seminars, workshops and other outreach activities);
  • Intellectual property (including patents) generated by the project.
• Collaboration:
  • Partnerships;
  • Contribution of partners;

Recipients will also be required to inform the CSA in advance of important public announcements (for example, press or news releases of interest to the media) resulting from work related to this AO.

8.8 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.

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

1. Accessible online repository (institutional or disciplinary) so that the publication is freely accessible.
2. 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.

Finally, the CSA wishes to receive a courtesy copy of the publications (if not freely accessible) or 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.

B.1. Unique requirements for 6U applications

6U CubeSat has demonstrated to be a powerful low-cost research platform. There are successful examples from university built 6U CubeSat for EO (e.g. University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines UVSQ-Sat), imaging (e.g. Kyutech KITSUNE), and tech demo (e.g. MIT AMS) missions. CSA is aware there are academic institutions that excel in building scientific or technological payloads and there are also academic institutions that excel in CubeSat bus development. The 6U Stream in this AO aims to create an opportunity to bring at least two academic institutions to work together. The outcome will be an increase in the Canadian academia capability to utilize CubeSat platform for training and research. The applications consist of CubeSat bus team (PI) and the primary payload team (Co-I). The CubeSat bus team shall submit the application and be responsible for the regulatory license requirements and delivery of the completed CubeSat. The following list clarifies the expectations from 6U applications:

• The PI leading the bus team can include a payload; however, it should be designated as the secondary payload. The primary mission objectives should be based on the science or technical data from the primary payload.
• The Co-I should explain how the primary payload aligns with their area of research and what are the scientific or technological data expected from the mission.
• The application should include the primary payload requirements (e.g. power, mass, volume, data, pointing, thermal) and how the proposed CubeSat bus design can meet these requirements.
• The application should elaborate on the training received by the students in the CubeSat bus team and the primary payload team.
• The Co-I should receive adequate financial support from the PI through a service agreement or contract. Redistribution of grant is not permitted under this AO.
• The application should provide financial information to ensure both the PI and Co-I teams have sufficient budgets to complete the mission including the operation phase.

B.2. The role of PI

One of the main objectives of CUBICS is to provide post-secondary students opportunities to gain hands-on experience in design, build, test, launch and operate a CubeSat with a scientific or technological payload.

The PI is equivalent to a Mission Manager (MM) in a satellite mission. This role cannot be delegated to Co-I or students. The PI should demonstrate vested interest in the project from the beginning until the end. The PI is required to monitor the CubeSat and payload development closely and regularly to ensure it will achieve the scientific or technological objectives stated in the CUBICS proposal.

To alleviate the workload of the PI, it is recommended that one or more students with strong leadership skills be designated as the project manager (PM). They will manage the CubeSat team on a daily basis while the PI carries out weekly or bi-weekly check-in with the team to ensure the CubeSat development meets the cost and schedule constraints.

B.3. Team Composition

Throughout CCP and CUBICS 2022, there were several variations of team composition. Here are the observations CSA has gathered, and the PI is encouraged to take them into consideration.

1. One structure that did not work well is the heavy reliance on Capstone teams. There are two reasons. First, Capstone students are at the final year of their studies and as such can only invest one year of effort to the project. Second, by the time April arrives, these students do not know who will be replacing them next year to transfer the knowledge and experience. As a result, the next year students tend to restart from the beginning.
2. Undergraduate and graduate students have different expectations when they participated in CCP or CUBICS. Undergraduate students look at the project as an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with a space mission whereas graduate students look for an opportunity to tie into their research thesis. It is important to manage the difference in expectations.
3. It is important to find a PM with the needed leadership skills. The PM is a person that the PI can entrust with the monitoring of day-to-day activities. Likewise, students look at the PM as a trustworthy leader. A few CCP teams chose to have 2 or 3 PM and the outcome was equally good. It is worth noting that students from any year can be a PM. CCP had instances of teams with a PM in their first year of undergraduate studies. Most PMs started with no experience in leading any activity or project. They essentially learned and managed simultaneously because they were driven by their passion for the project, their willingness to learn and listen, and their openness to work with everyone.

Under the PM, the CUBICS team should be divided into seven (7) sub-teams: Systems, Electrical, RF, Mechanical, Software and On-board Computer (OBC), ADCS (Attitude Determination and Control System) and Payload. Each team should aim for a buddy system where one senior member is always shadowed by at least a junior member. This ensures continuity in case the senior member drops out. It is not necessary to have equal size for all the teams. For instance, depending on the complexity of the payload, the team can have a large variation in size.

Throughout a CubeSat project, it is unavoidable that the team will encounter setbacks. When the team cannot recover from the setback, it is natural that the student motivation starts to descend and personal conflicts begin to ascend. These are the critical moments where the students rely on the leadership of PI and PM to carry the team through the crisis.

B.4. Make versus Buy

In CCP, there were several instances where teams attempted to build subsystems (e.g. transmitter, flight computer, battery pack) and after investing significant effort, the teams abandoned the “make” attempt and chose to procure from vendors. From the perspective of learning, “make” provides the best experience to the students. However, teams must also take into considerations risks associated with building a spacecraft component:

1. It is rare, if not impossible, to design and build a spacecraft component with one single iteration.
2. The environmental qualification of a newly built component is usually time consuming and effort intensive.
3. It usually requires multidisciplinary skills to build a component. The lack of resource in one discipline is sufficient to derail the "make" attempt.

For each subsystem that will be considered for "make," it is recommended that the team carry out a make versus buy trade-off analysis prior to making the final decision. The risk assessment should also include all "make" subsystems and their risk mitigation strategies.

B.5. Licensing

As a minimum, each CubeSat mission requires a radio frequency license issued by ISED (Innovation, Science & Economic Development). Many satellite missions from educational institutions or nonprofit organizations use the Amateur Radio frequency. The principal advantages are low license fee and frequency coordination is usually easy. The principal disadvantages are low bandwidth and downlink transmission cannot be encrypted. Amateur Radio frequency is coordinated by International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). It recommends that the application be accompanied by national Amateur Radio organization which is Radio Amateur Canada (RAC). IARU stipulates that the satellite mission must have:

1. Clearly defined amateur component e.g. a transponder, APRS system etc. Ideally, the amateur component would be available on a global basis for 100% of the time, though geographically and time‐restricted applications may be considered if sufficient reasons are provided.
2. OR some part of the mission must be relevant to possible future amateur satellite missions e.g. technology or system such as attitude control systems, power systems, communications systems etc. AND the results the study will be made available to the amateur community through open access publications or seminars etc.
3. OR some clearly defined STEM activity that clearly involves the amateur service AND with the potential to increase the number of licenced amateur operators, e.g. satellite training courses that are operated by educational institutions, amateur radio clubs and societies, or by qualified amateur operators with a view to increasing knowledge of, and interest in, the amateur service,
4. OR some combination of the above components.

Based on CCP experience, point 4 above has the highest chance of obtaining IARU approval.

On the other hand, S-band frequency which is used by all CSA missions and majority of Canadian companies, have a higher license fee and the frequency coordination effort requires a longer lead time because of its high demand. The advantages of S-band frequency are higher bandwidth which means larger quantity of downlink data in each pass, and the downlink transmission can be encrypted to increase security of the data.

B.6. Deorbiting Requirements

In 2010, UN COPUOS adopted the Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines which stipulate that upon completion of the mission, satellites in LEO shall be deorbited within 25 years. Since the adoption of the guidelines, space launch activities have picked up significantly due to the deployment of mega-constellations. In 2022, FCC, regulatory body for radio frequency in the US, decided that the 25 years period be reduced to 5 years. Although FCC is not fully accepted by all COPUOS signatories, CSA requires all CUBICS teams adopt the 5-year deorbiting period as the mission requirement. Since CUBICS 2026 will only provide launch opportunities in Sun Synchronous Orbit and the usual range of launch altitude has the upper limit of 590 km, CUBICS teams are expected to demonstrate their CubeSat will deorbit within 5 years at the upper launch altitude of 590 km.

B.7. Ground Station

Many CCP teams encountered unexpected challenges and delays in building their ground stations related to the permission and charges from university facility departments. A couple teams chose to build their ground station off campus or relied on local Amateur Radio station. Some teams completed the ground station installation after the delivery of their CubeSat to the launch provider. These solutions were not optimal as they reduced or eliminated the end-to-end testing prior to launching their CubeSat. For CUBICS 2026, applications without fully functional ground stations need to provide a sound implementation plan that they will have their ground stations ready before CDR. CSA will demand proof of proper uplink and downlink functionalities of the ground stations at FRR.

B.8. End-to-end Testing

One key lesson learned from CCP is the importance of end-to-end testing with the ground station in the loop. After failing to make contacts with their CubeSat, several teams admitted that they carried out over the air testing to confirm the communication links between the CubeSat and the ground station in the laboratory only. To extrapolate the test results from tens of meters to hundreds of kilometers proved to be unwise.

C.1 Benefits for Canada and outcomes

Maximum: 40
Minimum: 28

C.1.1 Proposed project

This criterion is used to evaluate the scientific and/or technical merits of the proposed project and its probable impact and potential to advance scientific knowledge and/or to enable the development of new technologies in priority areas, as per the Space Strategy for Canada. The proposal should also include an assessment of the quantity and quality of data collected from the mission.

This criterion will be used to answer the following questions:

• Does the project present a probable impact and/or the potential to advance scientific knowledge and/or enable the development of new technologies that would contribute to advance space science knowledge in priority areas as per the Space Strategy for Canada?
• Is there an assessment of the primary payload in the following areas: suitability to deliver the mission objectives, technology readiness level, expected performance in space in terms of quantity and quality of data.

Evaluation Source: Proposal

C.1.2 Training plan

This criterion assesses the quality, relevance, and diversity of the experience the students will acquire. The level of commitment of the PI and Co-I in training the students should be elaborated.

This criterion will be used to answer the following questions:

• Does the training plan specify the activities in which the students will participate during the project and are they involved in several key aspects, allowing them to acquire useful experience and skills?
• Do the activities assigned to the students suit their academic level?
• Does the plan include information on the method(s) that will be used to supervise the students?
• Is sufficient support provided to the students by the trainers (PI and Co-I)?
• Will the students gain knowledge and experience that is relevant to the development of their professional careers, providing a pathway to higher education in STEM or future employment opportunities in the space sector?
• To what extent has the team established and maintained structured knowledge management practices that support effective student training, onboarding, and continuity of learning throughout the project?

For Stream 1:

• Does the proposal include student exchange opportunities between CubeSat bus and primary payload teams?

Evaluation Source: Proposal

C.1.3 Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI)

This criterion evaluates whether the proposal includes a meaningful EDI plan to foster the recruitment and engagement of members from designated and equity-deserving groups (employment equity groups).

This criterion will be used to answer the following questions:

• Does the applicant demonstrate an understanding of EDI considerations and systemic barriers in relation to the proposed work?
• Have concrete measures been or will they be put in place to facilitate the access and the participation of members from designated and equity-deserving groups within the CubeSat team?

Evaluation Source: Proposal

C.1.4 Public engagement

This criterion evaluates the nature, relevance, feasibility, and effectiveness of the proposed public engagement activities.

This criterion will be used to answer the following questions:

• Does the public engagement plan include all key aspects with sufficient detail and justification?
• Does the public engagement plan demonstrate that the proposed resources and activities will be sufficient to reach the intended audience?
• Will the public engagement activities allow the project to gain visibility and to reach a large audience within the province or territory?

Evaluation Source: Proposal

C.2 Feasibility and risks

Maximum: 30
Minimum: 21

C.2.1 Project plan and schedule

This criterion assesses the likelihood that the project team delivers the project's objectives. The assessment will be based on the clarity and completeness of the project plan, the work breakdown structure (WBS), the task descriptions, major milestones, and the proposed schedule.

This criterion will be used to answer the following questions:

• In light of the proposed project plan included in the proposal, are the objectives realistic?
• Is the project clearly described, with sufficient detail on the work to be performed?
• Is there a high probability that the work will be carried out on schedule and within budget?
• Is the time commitment of the PI and Co-I(s) reasonable given the scope of the project?
• For Stream 1: does it include a working plan explaining how the CubeSat bus and primary payload teams work together?

Evaluation Source: Proposal, Detailed implementation schedule

C.2.2 Project-related risks and mitigation strategies

This criterion is used to evaluate the applicant's analysis of the risks associated with the project, as well as the mitigation strategies for each risk.

The applicant must carry out an in-depth risk analysis. A risk analysis table must be included in the application.

This criterion will be used to answer the following questions:

• Has the applicant identified and described the risks associated with the project in detail, including but not limited to, financial, managerial, environmental, scientific, and technical risks (particularly access to financial, human and physical resources) as well as any aspects that would impact the project schedule?
• Are the proposed mitigation strategies for each risk well thought out and realistic?
• Has the applicant provided a credible assessment of the probability of the risks materializing as well as the impact on the project?

For Stream 1:

• Does it address additional risks associated with the teaming arrangements?

Note that the evaluation of the risk criterion will be based on whether all risks were identified whether the impact and probability assessment is realistic, and whether mitigation strategies are appropriate. The project will not be penalized for having high risks or unconfirmed sources of funding, as long as the risks have been identified and mitigation strategies provided are appropriate.

Evaluation Source: Proposal

C.3 Resources

Maximum: 30
Minimum: 21

C.3.1 Project team

This criterion evaluates the competencies – experiences, skills, knowledge, expertise etc. - of the project team (PI, Co-I(s), as well as confirmed students and collaborators, if applicable). The proposed team structure and task distribution will be assessed towards the delivery of the CubeSat Mission. Student recruitment, onboarding and retention strategy will also be evaluated. For STREAM 1, the past experience and achievements of key team members and the institution, in managing a CubeSat mission will also be assessed. The CSA reserves the right to take into consideration how the PI managed CSA-funded projects in the past, based on previous project proposals and their results, on reporting accuracy and reliability.

This criterion will be used to answer the following questions for both funding Streams:

• Do the PI and Co-I(s) have experience in leading and completing projects of similar scope in the past in the academia?
• Does the project team have the skills in all disciplines required to build a CubeSat? If not, does the proposal explain how the project team acquires the missing skillset?
• Is the proposed team structure effective in the delivery of the CubeSat mission?
• Is the strategy for the recruitment, onboarding and retention of the student team members explained in detail?

Here the additional questions for Stream 1 applications:

• Do the CubeSat bus team members have demonstrated experience in the development and management of a CubeSat mission?
• Do the primary payload team members have demonstrated experience in building a payload for space or suborbital platforms?
• What are the benefits of this collaboration, e.g. knowledge transfer, future opportunities, capacity building in both teams, etc.?

Evaluation source: Proposal, résumés (Curricula vitae), letters of support from Co-I(s) (if applicable), CSA evaluations of the PI's previous progress and final reports (if applicable)

C.3.2 Budget, funding, physical resources, infrastructure and collaboration

This criterion is used to evaluate if the proposed budget is adequate to achieve the project's objectives. The timely availability of required physical resources (equipment, instruments, etc.), procurement strategy for CubeSat subsystems and infrastructure access (laboratory, ground station, etc.) will also be evaluated. Co-funding and collaboration, if included, will also be evaluated. This criterion will be used to answer the following questions:

• Is the budget (including co-funding if applicable) realistic and sufficient to achieve the project's objectives?
• Will the applicant likely have access to the required physical resources (e.g. test equipment, instruments)?
• Does the proposal include a discussion on the procurement strategy for all CubeSat subsystems?
• Have details been provided regarding the access to the laboratory and/or the ground-based infrastructure that will be used to develop the CubeSat, and to operate the CubeSat if it is put into orbit, including how the access will be granted and guaranteed?
• Has sufficient information been provided regarding how the regulatory licenses will be obtained in order to launch the CubeSat?

This is an additional question for Stream 1 applications:

• Is the budget allocation reasonable for both CubeSat bus and primary payload teams for each side to complete the work?

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

Evaluation source: Proposal, letter(s) of support from collaborators and industrial partners (if applicable)

D.1 General Instructions

Each application must include the CV of each of the known at the time of the application team members. The English version of the CV must not exceed five pages (six pages for French). There is no limit per section if the CV does not exceed the total page limit. Please follow the instructions and the structure below.

You must respect the following formatting requirements:

• 12-point, Arial font in black type.
• Different fonts and sizes can only be used in tables, figures and legends but must remain readable.
• Single line spacing.
• Normal/standard character spacing (not condensed).
• Minimum margin of 0.79 (2 cm) around all pages.
• Size all pages to 8 ½"" x 11" (216 mm x 279 mm).

If you are listing publications:

• Use any citation style common in your field.
• Add an asterisk (*) after each of your supervised students and highly qualified personnel (e.g., First Name Last Name* or Last Name, First Name*) if you are their supervisor.
• If the lead author is not listed first (e.g., if authorship is alphabetical), bold the lead author's name.

Students are college and university students (undergraduate); highly qualified personnel are graduate students and members of the workforce that have a minimum of a bachelor's degree.

D.2 Instructions for each portion of the narrative CV

D2.1 Personal Statement

Describe why you are well suited for your proposed role relevant to the application. For example, you may include:

• Collaborations or past performance in the field or related fields.
• Expertise related to the specific topic or related topics.
• Impact of your research, and its benefits to society and science.
• Leadership activities and skills.
• Previous work, progress, or productivity that provides context to the results of your research activities which support your current application.
• Recognitions (e.g., prizes, awards, community letters).

D.2.2 Most Significant Contributions and Experiences

Describe up to 10 important contributions or experiences that relate to your application. Contributions described in the previous section can be used here.

Explain the impact, significance, usefulness, and your role in each contribution or experience. A contribution does not have to be a single publication or report. This can include a collection of related publications.

For example, you may include:

• Articles and other publications (e.g., communications, monographs, memoirs or special papers, review articles, conference/symposia/workshop proceedings, government publications, reports documenting industrial contributions or contributions to professional practice, posters, abstracts, preprints).
• Assessment and review activities (e.g., journal review, conference review, funding assessment).
• Contributions to Indigenous leadership, self-determination, and capacity-building in research.
• Dataset creation, curation, sharing or re-use.
• Equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility advances in the research ecosystem.
• Knowledge mobilization, including knowledge translation and communication of research results to specialist or non-specialist audiences, including policy-makers and the public (e.g., magazine/newspaper articles, media interviews, blogs, social media, policy briefs, public lectures).
• New companies or organizations created to further the promotion/use of research.
• Partnerships or collaborations within or with Canadian or international research or non-research communities or non-profit / public / private sector organizations (e.g., through research networks, large collaborative projects, community-engaged research/citizen science, non-academic career information, voluntary work).
• Products, technology, processes, services or advice useful to specific organizations (from the private, public or non-profit sectors), communities, or society.

D.2.3 Supervisory and Mentorship Activities

Describe how you have helped mentor or train future generations. This can include the development of highly qualified personnel for careers within and outside of academia.

For example, you may include:

• Creation of safe, equitable and inclusive research environments, practices and norms.
• Development and delivery of training workshops outside of research or course requirements.
• Mentorship (formal or informal) of students and highly qualified personnel, early career researchers, colleagues, collaborators, relevant partners, other professionals, or community members.
• Outreach and engagement with students, youth, or members of the general public, including through in-person or online targeted activities or capacity building.
• Supervision of highly qualified personnel.
• Training in methodologies, knowledge systems, or cultural practices and approaches in the research context (e.g., Indigenous knowledge and science).