Beyond Earthly Boundaries: Hercules SLR Supports the RADARSAT Constellation Mission
Hercules SLR is committed to safety at every level—Even in outer space.
On Wednesday, June 12, SpaceX launched the RADARSAT Constellation Mission from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
At 7:17 a.m. PDT (14:17 UTC), the Falcon 9 launched, which was the first of three RADARSAT satellites deployed about 54 minutes following launch.
After stage separation, the Falcon 9 returned to SpaceX’s Landing Zone 4 at the Air Force Base. The first stage for the RADARSAT Constellation mission previously supported Crew Dragon’s first demo mission in March 2019.
The RADARSAT Constellation Mission shows Canada’s excellence in Earth observation from Space. The RADARSAT Constellation Mission is made of three identical C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Earth observation satellites built by MDA, a Maxar Company.
The RADARSAT Constellation Mission will scan and collect daily revisits of Canada’s vast territory and maritime approaches, like the Arctic, up to four times per day. The three-satellite configuration can also access any point of 90% of the world’s surface.
The RADARSAT Constellation Mission supports the Government of Canada to deliver responsive and cost-effective services for fields like maritime surveillance, ecosystem and climate change observation.
For example, the RADARSAT Constellation Mission will:
- Help create precise sea ice maps of Canada’s oceans and the Great Lakes to facilitate navigation and commercial maritime transportation. Each satellite also carries an Automatic Identification System receiver, allowing improved detection and tracking of vessels of interest.
- Collect highly-accurate data that will let farmers maximize crop yields, while reducing energy consumption and use of potential pollutants.
- Take and provide images of areas affected by disaster to help organize emergency response efforts and protect local population.
Hercules SLR is one of many proud Canadian suppliers to supply rigging equipment, hardware and safety training to make the RADARSAT Constellation Mission possible.
Learn more about the mission and launch—Checkout the webcast from the SpaceX YouTube channel below.
Video via SpaceX.
