The clock is ticking on the replacement of Canada’s Radarsat-2 surveillance satellite, originally launched in 2007.
Documents obtained by the Citizen show that DND has plans to build a new ground station in the Arctic next year and upgrade two others in preparation for the launch in 2014 and 2015 of a series of three replacement surveillance satellites, called the Radarsat Constellation Mission or RCM.
But the Conservative government is still stalling on its commitment to the RCM satellites, which can conduct surveillance day or night and in all weather.
Space industry representatives say even if the Conservatives approved RCM tomorrow, the Canadian Space Agency would not be able to meet its launch date of May 2014 for the first satellite.
In 2010 while on his annual tour of the Arctic, Prime Minister Stephen Harper highlighted the unique nature of both Radarsat 2 and RCM. At the time he said RCM would cost $397 million over five years, pointing out that the satellites will help defend Arctic sovereignty and “will ensure Canada maintains its role as a world leader in aerospace technology.”
But despite Harper’s comments, the documents obtained by the Citizen, dated between 2009 and 2011, outline the behind-the-scenes scramble to convince the government to proceed with RCM.
RCM is critical to the “DND/CF’s ability to meet its primary role for the defence of Canada, which requires the surveillance and control of the Canadian sovereign territory including its maritime and air approaches,” pointed out one 2010 briefing note.
A 2009 study warned that DND could not afford on its own to replace the surveillance capability offered by the current Radarsat 2 and if RCM didn’t proceed “the capability will perish for all of GoC (Government of Canada) when RADARSAT 2 ceases to operate.”
Another document pointed out Radarsat 2 has a minimum design life of seven years, which will require RCM satellites to be in orbit by 2015 at the latest.
Radarsat 2 could continue functioning beyond 2015 but there are no guarantees, say industry representatives.
This year has been difficult for the country’s space firms.
RCM contractor MacDonald Dettwiler of British Columbia announced it would start laying off employees because of the lack of funding for the satellite mission.
RCM subcontractor COM DEV recently announced it was laying off 31 employees, many in Ottawa. It blamed the lack of work on Canadian government space projects for that move.
Some aerospace industry officials have also questioned why the Conservatives could find more than $300 million earlier this year to contribute to a U.S. satellite network, with much of the money going to the U.S. company Boeing, while a home-grown and innovative Canadian satellite program is stalled.
DND did not comment. The Canadian Space Agency did not comment.
But agency president Steve MacLean recently stated the government is fully behind RCM. “There has always been a plan to build, it just hasn’t been officially announced,” MacLean said. “I think you will see an announcement soon. We have a commitment from the ministry, and a plan to proceed.”
The level of government commitment to RCM is a sensitive topic within DND. The documents show that when Associate Defence Minister Julian Fantino went to visit MacDonald Dettwiler in November 2011, there were concerns the company would raise the issue of RCM funding.
“From a defence perspective, the RCM will be particularly important for providing wide area surveillance of Canada and its maritime approaches, enabling the CF (Canadian Forces) to continuously track vessels that may pose a security risk to Canada and Canadians,” Fantino was told by DND officials.
But they also provided him with “Responsive Speaking Points” to recite to the MDA officials or journalists. “I am unable to comment on the status of the RCM project, which falls within the purview of my colleague, the Minister of Industry,” Fantino was told to say.
On Thursday, Defence Minister Peter MacKay will preside over the official send-off in Ottawa of the Canadian Forces Sapphire satellite.
That spacecraft is designed to conduct surveillance of space and track other satellites, feeding the information into a U.S. military system.
The original plan had called for Sapphire to be launched sometime between late 2005 and 2007. That was later changed to 2011 and further delayed after that. It will now be launched in December on an Indian rocket.
Original Article
Source: leader post
Author: DAVID PUGLIESE
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