What Is It?

Structure & Schedule

The The Canadian Satellite Design Challenge
(CSDC) is a Canada-wide competition to
Academic Year 1 (2010/11) Academic Year 2 (2011/12)

Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Canadian design and build a small satellite,

approximately 10 kg in mass.
Orientation
with
Teams Spacecraft
Design Course
offered Preliminary
Design
The satellites will include one or more
Satellite
Reviews Critical
Design

payload instruments which can conduct Reviews Build

and
Test Environmental
scientific research for their university. Testing

Design Satellites will undergo full launch and

space environment qualification testing.
Winner(s)!!

One or more winning satellites will be

Challenge
Launch?

identified as candidates for launch into

orbit.
The competition begins in September,
2010, and will run for two academic years.
The winner(s) will be announced in May,
Design it.
2012.
Build it. Who Can Participate?
The Challenge is open to teams of
undergraduate students from universities
and technical colleges.
Launch it! Several Canadian space companies are
participating by providing their experience
and expertise to teams.
The CSDC is also seeking donors and
sponsors to help enable the programme
Are you up to the Challenge?
to achieve all of its goals, and companies
which manufacture suitable components
for the satellites. Please contact us for
more information.
The CSDC is modelled after other
university-level engineering design
competitions (e.g., space elevator, solar
car, super-mileage car).
In the first year, students will learn about
satellite sub-systems and design, and
begin initial concepts of their satellites.
Teams will progress through an iterative
design process as in a real spacecraft
programme.
Following a final design review, teams will
proceed with assembly, integration, and
functional testing of their sub-system
components and assembled satellite.
Satellites which are fully functional and
compliant with all requirements of the
Challenge will undergo launch and space
environment qualification testing.
One or more winning satellites will be
identified as candidates for launch into
orbit.
About CSDC
The CSDC has been prepared by
Geocentrix Technologies Ltd., Dr. Jaymie
Matthews of the Department of Physics
and Astronomy at the University of British
Columbia, and the H.R. MacMillan Pacific
Space Centre, all located in Vancouver.
Geocentrix Technologies Ltd. will be
responsible for the primary programme
management, in order to co-ordinate and
monitor the progress of all participating
teams, conduct the reviews, organise and
Objectives & Benefits Ground Segment
The CSDC has a number of benefits, not The MOST ground station at the University
only for the participants, but for young of British Columbia may be used for
students and the general public: command uplink, and telemetry and
science/engineering data downlink, but
• to promote education, excellence,
alternate or additional locations can also
research, development, and future
be considered, depending on cost and the
space capability in Canada.
amount of data downlink which is required.
• to inspire young students to pursue
science and engineering educations
and careers.
Co
m
m
an
• to build space mission co-operation T
S c el e
ien me
ds

c e try
oversee the testing, and procure the between universities and industry. Da ,
ta

launch. • to promote awareness and

An Advisory Board will provide direction to understanding of satellites, their TT&C

the management of the programme. applications, and their benefits, to the module

Science Data
Telemetry,
Canadian public.

Commands
Primary
Operations
Centre
The CSDC is a bold and innovative
Contact Us educational initiative which will advance
Telemetry, Science Data

Commands
Telemetry, Science Data

Commands

space education and capability in Canada,

The Canadian Satellite Design Challenge Participating Participating Participating

and prepare tomorrow’s leaders with University University University

is a bold and innovative initiative which

offers many educational benefits.
For further information on the Canadian
Satellite Design Challenge, or to discuss
how you can participate, please contact:
Larry Reeves
CSDC Manager,
c/o Geocentrix Technologies Ltd.
5050 Elgin St.,
Vancouver, B.C. V5W 3J6
Ph: 778-988-6343
e: CSDC@Geocentrix.ca
interdisciplinary teamwork skills which are
critical for success.
Students who have participated in the
Challenge will gain valuable technical,
Spacecraft Design Course
management, and leadership For the CSDC, a “Spacecraft Systems
experience from their participation, and Design” course will be developed to
will be excellent candidates to hire upon present a broad overview of the design
their graduation. and construction of satellite sub-systems.
This course will be intended for a third-
year engineering or science curriculum.
Although optional, the course will give
students a foundation in satellite design
and project management methodologies.

Earth limb and star field images are used courtesy of NASA. Oct. 2009