The David Florida Laboratory
The David Florida Laboratory (DFL) is Canada's world-class spacecraft assembly, integration and testing centre, located on Shirley's Bay Campus in Ottawa. Owned and operated by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) for over 50 years, the DFL has played a key role in advancing telecommunications and satellite remote sensing in Canada. The Laboratory is now operated by MDA Space, with testing services available to Canadian and international companies and organizations.
History of the Laboratory
On , the federal government created the David Florida Laboratory, an integration and environmental testing facility that would first support the Hermes/CTS program, a joint effort between Canada and the United States. The laboratory is named in honour of C. David Florida, pioneer in space research and manager of the ISIS program until .
Known for its role in the success of the Canadian space program, the DFL contributed to testing spacecraft and components for high-profile missions such as Canadarm, Canadarm2, the James Webb Space Telescope and the RADARSAT Constellation Mission.
As part of the Government of Canada's Refocusing Government Spending exercise, the CSA announced in that CSA operations at the DFL would be terminated the following year. This created an opportunity for the Canadian space industry to get involved in managing the continued use of this world-class testing facility. In , it was announced that operations would be transferred to MDA Space under a temporary occupancy licence.
Services
The DFL offers a range of testing services, including Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), antenna, vibration, and Thermal Vacuum Chamber (TVAC). It is one of only a few facilities of its kind in the world that are capable of simulating the enormous stresses experienced during a rocket launch and the temperature extremes that are associated with space flight.