Canada’s MDA Starts Work On Next-Generation Satellite Constellation

RICHMOND, BC, March 15, 2006/Satnews Daily/ — The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has awarded MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (TSX: MDA) a $6.04 million (CAD$7 million) contract to carry out conceptual design work for a planned future information solution intended to provide continued radar information to existing Radarsat users.

Unlike the Radarsat-2 solution, which is based on a single large satellite, the new solution is to be based on a constellation of three smaller satellites and will be known as the Radarsat Constellation. MDA said the new contract is the first to draw on the combined capability of MDA and the facility recently acquired from EMS Technologies.

The Canadian Government's ongoing commitment to maintain Canada's strong worldwide position in radar satellite surveillance solutions is backed by the allocation of over $172 million (CAD$200 million) of initial funding over the next five years as announced in the 2005 Federal Budget. Government and commercial applications include transportation, national security, resource management and sustainable development.

Under the contract MDA will start to develop the most critical technological concepts, deliver the conceptual design documentation for the mission, and conduct a formal System Requirements Review with the CSA.

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