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23 May 2003

Apogee

http://www.space.gc.ca

CSA's Electronic Newsletter             May 2003

Part 2 of 4

Question to: Andrew Bell, EMS Technologies

What is EMS's contribution to SCISAT?

On the SCISAT Mission EMS had a large role in the design and building
of the MAESTRO instrument. We also provided a startracker for the
mission which is essential to the stability for taking scientific
measurements as well as various spacecraft hardware and electronics
boards and such equipment to the spacecraft. 


Questions to: Wally Eliuk, Bristol Aerospace

What is Bristol Aerospace?

Bristol Aerospace is a division of Magellan aerospace corporation. We
are a diverse aerospace manufacturing company located in Winnipeg,
Manitoba. Bristol Aerospace Space Systems Group has been involved in
producing space hardware for low-cost Canadian space missions for
well over 40 years. Our partnership with the CSA goes right back to
the auroral space science suborbital rocket missions and goes on
today to equipment that we have supplied for both the shuttle and the
space station missions. We have been an advocate for a Canadian
smallsat mission right from the very beginning and that's what
culminating in Bristol's participation in SCISAT today. 

What is Bristol Aerospace's role in SCISAT?

Bristol is prime contractor for the development of the SCISAT
spacecraft bus and also we are responsible for the integration and
test of the SCISAT spacecraft. The bus is basically the entire
spacecraft without the instruments and Bristol designed, developed,
and tested the SCISAT spacecraft right at our facility in Winnipeg.
In fact, most of the major structural components and the flight
computer were built at our facility in Winnipeg. When you add the
instruments, that comprises the overall spacecraft and Bristol is
responsible for assembly, integration and test of the SCISAT
spacecraft. We are here at the David Florida Laboratory facility in
Ottawa to undertake environmental testing of the spacecraft. This
includes vibration testing to simulate the launch environment and
space simulation testing in thermal vacuum chambers in the David
Florida Laboratory in Ottawa . In addition we will go and support the
launch of the spacecraft from California and during early operations
we will be there to support commissioning until SCISAT is on its way
fulfilling its science mission. 


Question to: Rejean Michaud, Space Science, CSA 

What are the scientific objectives of the SCISAT mission?

The scientific objective of the SCISAT mission is to study the
chemical processes that take place in the stratosphere--the area of
the atmosphere that lays between ten-fifteen kilometres and fifty
kilometres and where you find the largest abundance of ozone in the
atmosphere-and to study the various chemical processes that play a
role in the ozone depletion mechanisms. 

This is in relation with the thinning of the ozone layer that has
been observed mostly over the Antarctic over the last few decades--
especially at springtime for the southern hemisphere--in September-
October. This phenomenon has also been observed to a lesser extent in
the northern hemisphere over the Arctic when the stratospheric
meteorological conditions have permitted very low temperatures in the
stratosphere. So SCISAT will be observing large variety of gases in
the atmosphere as well as particles in clouds that do occur at those
altitudes, which are called polar stratospheric clouds, as well as
airborne thin particles called aerosols. So by being able to observe
all of these, the SCISAT observation coupled with the modeling
activities, will have an opportunity to provide a better
understanding of the chemicals processes in the stratosphere. 


Question to: Glen Rumbold, Space Science, CSA

What is SCISAT?

SCISAT is an all-Canadian space science small satellite. SCISAT will
weigh around 150 kilograms and its purpose is to measure the ozone
layer and to understand why it's being depleted. It will have two
instruments on board and they will measure the concentration and
distribution of a variety of chemicals, dozens of chemicals,
including ozone in the atmosphere. SCISAT will be launched on a
Pegasus XL vehicle from California at the Vandenberg Air Force Base
in July (to be confirmed) this year. 


Question to: Randy Shelly, Space Science, CSA

What is the David Florida's Laboratory contribution to the SCISAT
project?

David Florida has provided support to the main contractor of SCISAT,
that being Bristol, who is the bus contractor and the spacecraft
integration contractor, to ABB who provided the main instruments, to
the MAESTRO instrument, and to the subcontractors EMS and Routes. 


Questions to: Marc-Andre Soucy, ABB

How does the FTS instrument work?

The measurement approach retained for this mission, consists of using
the solar occultation technique with the Fourier Transform
Spectrometer operating in the infrared. The instrument measures the
infrared signals, which are partially attenuated by the chemical
species in the atmosphere, thus allowing the measurement and
understanding of the chemicals and dynamical processes that control
the distribution of ozone. 

How will the FTS instrument be used for the ACE experiment?

The ACE mission is an atmospheric chemistry mission. The main
objective is to measure the chemical molecules that play a
determining role in ozone destruction. Therefore, we concentrate on
studying the chemical and dynamic processes which are responsible for
ozone destruction. This mission focuses on Arctic measurements. The
orbit was chosen to optimize measurements and readings over the
Arctic. Obviously, Canadians are more likely to be affected by ozone
depletion at higher latitudes. The instrument includes two major
components: first, an interferometer that takes measurements and
readings in the infrared. That allows us to determine the depletion
level in the infrared by measuring the molecules present in the
atmosphere. The instrument also incorporates two imagers designed to
measure aerosols in the atmosphere. 

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