Concordia Wins Canadian Satellite Design Challenge

Space Concordia, a student run astronomical engineering group from Concordia University has won the first Canadian Satellite Design Challenge (CSDC). Concordia beat out eleven other university student teams from across Canada in an effort to design, build and test a low-cost operational small satellite within a two year period.

The Space Concordia team accepting their prize on September 29th.

As outlined on the Space Concordia website, the award announcement was made on September 29th:

... during the Canada-On-Orbit Gala, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Alouette-1, Canada's first satellite. Many of the original Alouette-1 satellite designers were present, along with industry members from such groups as MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and it was humbling to see three generations of Canadian satellite builders in the same room.

Concordia beat out teams from Carleton University, Dalhousie University, Queen's University, the Royal Military College of Canada, the University of Alberta, the University of British Columbia, the University of Manitoba, the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Victoria, the University of Waterloo and York University.

According to the October 1st, 2012 press release "Concordia University wins Canadian Satellite Design Challenge," the winning Concordia satellite includes "a gas analyser to detect trace gasses, as well as an instrument to measure the temperature and density of plasma." The winning satellite is intended to be launched into orbit in order to conduct scientific research although no launch berth has yet been announced.

The contest was organized by Geocentrix Technologies and sponsored by ABB Canada, AGI Software, AppSpace Solutions, the Canadian Astronautics and Space Institute (CASI), the Canadian Space Society (CSS), Defense Research & Development Canada, MDA, the HR MacMillan Space Centre, Magellan Aerospace, the Manitoba Aerospace Association, MAYA Simulation Technologies, Microsat Systems Canada Inc (MSCI), MITACS, NEi Software, the Neptec Design Group, SED a division of Calian Ltd. and Solidworks.