About RADARSAT+
Given Canada's vast territory and remote regions, satellites play a particularly important role in supporting many of the country's needs. The Government of Canada relies on Earth observation data to deliver critical services to Canadians. Canada's current generation of Earth observation satellites, the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM), provides daily radar imagery of the country's land, coastal areas, and the Arctic.
Canada's Earth observation data supports a wide range of services, including:
- tracking shoreline erosion
- monitoring sea ice
- providing flood maps and warnings
- detecting illegal vessels
These activities contribute to:
- maritime safety
- Arctic surveillance and monitoring
- emergency response
- environmental monitoring
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) works closely with federal departments, industry, satellite data users across the country, and international collaborators to maintain reliable access to this data.
Building on the RADARSAT legacy
For over 30 years, images from RADARSAT-1, RADARSAT-2 and the RCM have been of enormous value for Canadians. RADARSAT satellites are equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR), a niche expertise of Canada's space sector. SAR is a powerful microwave instrument that transmits and receives signals to capture high-quality images of Earth. A unique benefit of this technology is its ability to image night and day, and in all weather conditions.
In , the Government of Canada announced an investment of $1.012 billion over 15 years for two initiatives under the RADARSAT+ portfolio of activities:
- designing and developing a replenishment satellite for the RCM
- defining a next-generation satellite system
Another RADARSAT+ activity currently being explored involves purchasing commercial data to complement information provided to Canadians and ensure continuity of services.
A replenishment satellite for the RCM
Launched in , the RCM provides daily coverage of 90 per cent of the world's surface, and, most importantly, all of Canada's large territory and maritime approaches. It was designed to deliver critical data to support government operations in three main areas: maritime surveillance, disaster management, and ecosystem monitoring.
To maintain uninterrupted access to this essential data, the CSA is working on a replenishment satellite to be added to the RCM. As an initial phase, in , a contract was awarded to MDA Space to purchase specialized parts to build the satellite.
A next-generation satellite system
The CSA is currently working on a next-generation satellite system. This work includes assessing the best ways to address growing demand and evolving needs, as well as exploring new technologies to support both current and future priorities.
- The next-generation satellite system initiative is divided into two segments:
- Space segment: satellite infrastructure in space
- Ground segment: satellite control system and data management system on Earth
In , the CSA awarded three contracts to Canadian companies C-CORE, Kepler and MDA Space to develop concepts for the space segment of Canada's next-generation satellite system.
Purchasing commercial data
As the demand for Earth observation data grows, more Canadian and international satellites are becoming available. This creates new opportunities for Canada to integrate and use data from multiple sources in a more efficient and cost-effective way. Purchasing commercial Earth observation data can complement Canada's existing and future satellite capabilities.
The CSA is currently looking at how data from national satellites like the RCM can be used alongside commercial data, open-access platforms, and information from international partners. The objective is to help ensure broader access to satellite imagery and complement existing services to better serve Canadians.