Polar Communications & Weather (PCW) Mission Aurora Borealis

Dual Objectives: Communications & Weather Reliable communications in the high latitudes (North of 70º) to ensure: –Security –Sustainable Development –Support to Northern Communities –Air and Marine Navigation Provide high temporal/spatial resolution meteorological data above 50º N in support of: –Numerical Weather Prediction –Environmental monitoring, emergency response –Climate monitoring

Mission Requirements To provide continuous meteorological service and information for the entire circumpolar region, with the imagery data “refreshed” as frequently as practical. GOAL 15 min To improve weather prediction accuracy and timeliness by providing high quality data currently not available or available with insufficient spatial / temporal resolution To improve the monitoring and prediction of air quality variables To improve the modeling of physical processes in the Arctic environment To develop measures of climate change through high quality monitoring of key atmospheric and surface variables To improve observation and forecasting of space weather To have a proto-operational system in place by 2014.

Area of Interest Meteorological Coverage Requirement Meteorological Coverage Goal Communications Coverage Requirement

Mission Overview Architecture: –Constellation of two satellites in HEO (Molniya-type, 12 hours) Orbit: –Two planes with apogee over Atlantic and Pacific (TBC) Payloads: –Communications (Ka-band) and Meteorological payload suites on each satellite Bus: –Canadian SmallSat Bus Ground segment: –Based on existing Canadian infrastructure with potential addition of the Northern Ground Station Operations: –Government operated (TBC) Launch: –2014 and 2015 Lifespan: –5 years-requirement, 7 years - goal Partnership: –Open for International and Public-Private Partnership

Applications and Products Winds from sequences of images: high priority product Surface type analysis: ice, snow, ocean, vegetation and surface characteristics such as emissivity, albedo, vegetation index Surface temperature, detection of boundary-layer temperature inversions, diurnal cycle Mid-tropospheric q/T sensitive channels for hourly direct assimilation complementing GEO radiance assimilation Volcanic ash detection Smoke, dust, aerosols, fog in support of air quality models and environmental prediction: Total column ozone: Cloud parameters: height, fraction, temperature, emissivity, phase, effective particle size. Broadband outgoing radiation: total, Vis, IR, window

Proposed imager channels (21) based on ABI, MODIS heritage Wavelength (microns) HeritageOptimum/nominal spatial resolution (km) Minimum spatial resolution (km) Priority 3 = highest Main applications / 121Aerosols ABI / 122Surface / 0.512Vegetation ABI / 0.513Wind, clouds ABI / 123Wind, aerosols, vegetation ABI-041 / 242Cirrus ABI / 123Snow-cloud distinction ABI / 242Cloud phase ABI-071 / 243fog/ fire detection, Ice/cloud separation, wind ABI-081 / 242Wind, humidity ABI-091 / 243Wind, humidity ABI-101 / 243Wind, humidity ABI-111 / 242Total water ABI-121 / 242Total ozone ABI-131 / 222Cloud, surface ABI-141 / 243Cloud, SST, ash ABI-151 / 243Ash, SST ABI-161 / 242Cloud height MODIS-341 / 282Cloud height MODIS-351 / 282Cloud height MODIS-361 / 282Cloud height

Phase 0 Overview Phase 0 closed out September 30, 2008 –Identified and validated comprehensive Users Requirements (UR Document) –Proved pertinence of the mission to the national and international priorities of the Government of Canada –Demonstrated feasibility of the technical solutions

Phase A Overview Status –Phase A1 (October 2008-March 2009) - committed –Phase A2 (April 2009 – November 2009) – planned Expected Main Outcomes: –Successful Preliminary System Requirements Review –System Requirements Document –Ground Segment Requirement Specification (update) –Spacecraft Requirement Specification (update) –Bus Requirement Specification –Meteorological Payload Requirement Specification (update) –Communication Payload Requirement Specification (update) –Mission Development Plan, including lifecycle cost –Treasury Board submission seeking phases B/C/D approval

Partnership Opportunities Phase A1: –Extension of membership in the Users & Science Team to the international partners  URD final release Phase A2: Joint Definition Study –Via CSA: government and intergovernmental agencies –Via Prime Contractor: private/commercial entities Phase B and beyond: –Partnership mission (International and/or PPP) (TBC). Open for Partnerships!! –Some discussions w/Finland have taken place –Norway meeting –US and Russia

For More Information/Collaboration… Guennadi Kroupnik : PCW Program Manager Canadian Space Agency Tel.: (450) Louis Garand : PCW User & Science Team Co-Chair Environment Canada Tel.: (514)