Orbiting approximately 25,000 kilometres above the planet, CASSIOPE (Cascade SmallSat and IOnospheric Polar Explorer) has established a communication link with researchers at the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory near Priddis, Alberta.
CASSIOPE carries the first scientific payload led by a Canadian University. The research team, led by the University of Calgary, will collect data on space storms in the upper atmosphere in the hope of understanding the impact storms could potentially have on radio communication and GPS navigation.
"This is both exciting and a huge relief to see CASSIOPE launched after over nine years of preparation and development," said Greg Enno, the project’s technical lead and technical manager of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Calgary. "The team has been waiting for this moment for a long time and is eager to get to dig into the data."
Among the instruments the University of Calgary contributed to the project are ion detectors, electron detectors and a fast-auroral imager to capture photographs of the Northern Lights.
The satellite was launched Sunday morning at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and is expected to remain in orbit for approximately five years.
For more information on CASSIOPE, visit the Canadian Space Agency.
