The UK is to collaborate with Canada on the Redwing
microsatellite Space Domain Awareness (SDA) mission scheduled to launch
in 2027.
Redwing will track objects in congested orbits with improved
sensors, and provide near real-time tasking in response to
evolving space events.
Redwing, which is the size of a small washing machine, will be
directed and tasked by the Department of National Defence's
science and technology organisation, Defence Research and
Development Canada (DRDC). The
satellite will itself deploy a smaller nanosatellite that will
incorporate a payload from the UK's Defence Science and
Technology Laboratory (Dstl) on
behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and UK Space Command.
Dr Gemma Bagheri, Dstl Space
Research and Development Programme Manager, commented:
Space is increasingly congested and it is vital that we keep pace
with new and emerging threats. The collaboration with our
Canadian partners will enable us to improve the characterisation
of objects and maintain security in space to protect our mutual
interests.
The nanosatellite, roughly the size of a cereal box and known as
Little Innovator in Space Situational Awareness (LISSA),
will incorporate as its primary payload a Dstl
experimental short wave infrared (SWIR) camera. Once separated,
Redwing and LISSA
will fly in tandem in sun-synchronous low Earth orbit,
approximately 575km above the Earth and up to 200km apart.
The mission will assess the capabilities of the SWIR camera with particular focus on
the South Pole of Earth, where the glare from the illuminated
Antarctic ice sheet can hinder object identification in orbit.
Space objects over the Earth's South Pole is less monitored than
the North Pole and the mission will inform future space
surveillance considerations based on findings from the mission.
This international research cooperation between the countries
provides the opportunity for joint collaboration and for
developing prototype infrastructure and data processing
architecture.
Major General Paul Tedman, Commander, UK Space Command, said:
This is yet another example of the value of international
collaboration in space. Through Redwing and LISSA,
the UK and Canada will test innovative technologies, which in the
long term may vastly improve our ability to monitor and identify
objects in space.
Magellan Aerospace will design, build, prepare for launch, and
operate the Redwing microsatellite and LISSA
nanosatellite. LISSA
will be built by the University of Manitoba. Bornea Dynamics has
been contracted by Dstl to
produce and qualify the SWIR camera payload hardware.
Scott McLelland, DRDC Director of
Research and Development for the Defend North America strategic
focus area, commented:
The space domain continues to change and evolve and requires
space faring nations to innovate to keep informed of the security
situation in the space domain. DRDC is thrilled
to have Dstl
participate in the Redwing mission to help grow both nations'
defence space programs.
Find out more about Dstl's
space capability.
