Canadian SCISAT mission extended by two years (Forwarded)

Canadian Space Agency

August 17, 2005

Canadian SCISAT mission extended by two years

Longueuil, Quebec -- Canada's ozone-layer-monitoring satellite SCISAT,
launched two years ago on behalf of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), will
continue to operate for two more years. A fine example of Canadian space
technology, this innovative, small satellite built by Bristol Aerospace of
Winnipeg is performing extremely well and the CSA is extending the mission
for another 24 months-doubling the satellite's operational life. SCISAT
gives Canadian scientists a lead role in investigating chemical processes
in the upper atmosphere and their influence on ozone distribution,
particularly over the Arctic.

While SCISAT is providing extraordinary data on the status of the ozone
layer at the poles," said Dr. Stella Melo, a CSA mission scientist, "its
innovative main instrument is so sensitive that it can also detect and
create global maps of chlorine species such as CFC-113. In addition, it
provides data on very thin, high-altitude polar clouds."

SCISAT provides unique data on atmospheric changes due both to natural
causes and human activity. In October 2003, the science team studied the
descent of anomalous quantities of nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere
during a spectacular solar proton event. A year later, they analyzed the
impact of large amounts of carbon monoxide that had risen to the
troposphere from huge forest fires around the world.

SCISAT's primary scientific instrument, a Fourier Transform Spectrometer
(ACE-FTS) built by ABB in Québec, is operated by an international team of
researchers led by Professor Peter Bernath of the University of Waterloo.
Another team led by Dr. Tom McElroy of Environment Canada and Dr. James
Drummond of the University of Toronto operates a second instrument,
MAESTRO (for "measurements of aerosol extinction in the stratosphere and
troposphere retrieved by occultation"), designed by the Meteorological
Service of Canada and built by EMS Technologies in Ottawa.

SCISAT was launched in August 2003 and cost $65 million. The Canadian
Space Agency provides financial support and scientific and technical
supervision.

For more background information on the SCISAT mission, please visit the
CSA website:
http://www.space.gc.ca/asc/eng/satel...at/default.asp

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For more information:

Nicholas Girard
Communications Advisor
Media Relations
Canadian Space Agency
Telephone: (450) 926-4370