Satellites provide a unique perspective of our planet, support cutting-edge science, and enable applications and services in many areas critical to the health and well-being of Canadians. For more than 60 years, Canadian experts have been using satellites to monitor our environment from space, as we have seen especially over the past few months during the environmental crises in Canada.
Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry and Minister responsible for the Canadian Space Agency, announced an investment of $1.012 billion over the next 15 years for RADARSAT+, an initiative aimed at ensuring continuous, efficient, and sustainable access to critical and high-quality Earth observation (EO) data for Canada.
RADARSAT+ will continue Canada's legacy as a globally recognized leader in this area, a reputation established with the launch of the first RADARSAT satellite in 1995. The RADARSAT+ portfolio includes a project to design, build and launch a replacement satellite for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM), and a project to initiate the definition of a fourth-generation national sovereign satellite system that will succeed the RCM, among others.
Canadian satellite EO data supports over 40 services from several federal departments and private enterprises, and provides tangible benefits to Canadians in their daily lives. Satellite data is key to making science-based decisions on numerous fronts, from climate change adaptation to building resilience in vulnerable areas such as Canada's North.
Building on Canada's past expertise and leadership in radar satellite technology and applications, the Government of Canada is committed to leveraging space-based technologies to tackle pressing challenges and spur innovation.
