Session
Technical Session V: Constellations For Scientific And Global Change Research
Abstract
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has initiated the Small Science Satellite (SCISAT) Program as a part of their ongoing space science program. The Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) Mission from the University of Waterloo has been selected as the first SCISAT Mission, and will be launched in Q1, 2002 on board a Pegasus XL vehicle. The ACE spacecraft will be co-manifested on the Pegasus vehicle with another spacecraft which has not yet been selected. The ACE Mission will comprise instrumentation to measure atmospheric chemistry using the solar occultation method. The principal goal of the ACE Mission is to measure and to understand the chemical and dynamical processes that control the distribution of ozone in the upper troposphere and stratosphere. The spacecraft will be designed to operate in a 650 km, 65° inclination orbit for 2 years. The spacecraft will be developed by Canadian Industry, with Bristol Aerospace Limited of Winnipeg, Manitoba being the prime contractor for the bus, and Bomem, Inc. of Quebec City, Quebec the prime contractor for the instrument. This paper presents an overview of the CSA’s SCISAT Program and the ACE Mission. The paper describes the mission concept, the scientific instrument and the concept for the spacecraft bus, highlighting new technology that will be developed in Canada to support this mission.
ACE - A Canadian Small Science Satellite Mission
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has initiated the Small Science Satellite (SCISAT) Program as a part of their ongoing space science program. The Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) Mission from the University of Waterloo has been selected as the first SCISAT Mission, and will be launched in Q1, 2002 on board a Pegasus XL vehicle. The ACE spacecraft will be co-manifested on the Pegasus vehicle with another spacecraft which has not yet been selected. The ACE Mission will comprise instrumentation to measure atmospheric chemistry using the solar occultation method. The principal goal of the ACE Mission is to measure and to understand the chemical and dynamical processes that control the distribution of ozone in the upper troposphere and stratosphere. The spacecraft will be designed to operate in a 650 km, 65° inclination orbit for 2 years. The spacecraft will be developed by Canadian Industry, with Bristol Aerospace Limited of Winnipeg, Manitoba being the prime contractor for the bus, and Bomem, Inc. of Quebec City, Quebec the prime contractor for the instrument. This paper presents an overview of the CSA’s SCISAT Program and the ACE Mission. The paper describes the mission concept, the scientific instrument and the concept for the spacecraft bus, highlighting new technology that will be developed in Canada to support this mission.
