Press Release

Canadian Scientists Cheer Odin Launch – Swedish Satellite Mission Takes on Earth Observation and Astronomy

By SpaceRef Editor

February 20, 2001

Filed under Canadian Space Agency, US

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) today
announced the successful launch from Svobodny, in far eastern Russia, of
Sweden’s Odin satellite, on a dual-purpose mission to study ozone depletion
in the Earth’s atmosphere and to search for water and oxygen in interstellar
space.

Flying onboard Odin, the Canadian Space Agency’s Optical Spectrograph and
InfraRed Imager System (OSIRIS) instrument will provide detailed data
relating to ozone depletion, especially with respect to the situation at
high latitudes, including Canada. The instrument was designed and built by
Routes AstroEngineering Ltd. of Kanata, Ontario.

“I congratulate our Canadian scientific and industrial partners for their
valuable contribution to this exciting project,” said the Honourable Brian
Tobin, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Canadian Space
Agency. “International collaborations like this one with Sweden, France and
Finland position Canadians as world leaders in space research and
innovation.”

University of Saskatchewan scientist, Dr. E.J. (Ted) Llewellyn heads the
Canadian atmospheric science team. He expects to have initial data for
analysis starting in May. The scientific results will complement other data
received from various past, present and future ground- and space-based ozone
studies, including CSA balloon, rocket and satellite missions.

The astronomical objective of the mission is to study the physics and the
chemistry of interstellar space by searching for water and oxygen molecules.
These molecules are crucial clues for improving our understanding of comets,
giant molecular clouds and nearby dark clouds, the deep atmospheres of
Jupiter and Saturn and the formation of stars in nearby galaxies.

The CSA provided a cryogenic cooler to keep Sweden’s Sub-Millimeter
Radiometer (SMR) instrument at a cool -175 degrees Celsius, enabling it to
register signals from distant stars.

When not pointed at the stars, this instrument will work in conjunction with
OSIRIS to provide complementary data for ozone research. Dr. Sun Kwok of the
University of Calgary leads the Canadian astronomers on this mission.

The CSA’s contribution to the Odin mission totals approximately $15 million
including some $6 million for the development of the OSIRIS instrument. The
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council is providing almost $1
million over five years for ground-based scientific support as well as for
the analysis of data coming from the mission.

About the CSA

Established in 1989 and situated in Saint-Hubert, Quebec, the Canadian Space
Agency coordinates all aspects of the Canadian Space Program. Through its
Space Knowledge, Applications and Industry Development business line, the
CSA delivers services involving: Earth and the Environment; Space Science;
Human Presence in Space; Satellite Communications; Generic Space
Technologies; Space Qualification Services and Awareness. The Canadian Space
Agency is at the forefront of the development and application of space
knowledge for the benefit of Canadians and humanity.

NSERC (the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada)
invests in people, discovery and innovation and is the national instrument
for making strategic investments in Canada’s capability in science and
technology.

Funding for this project was provided for in the February 2000 budget and is
therefore built into the existing financial framework.

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For more information on the Odin project, please visit:

http://www.snsb.se/Odin/Odin.html

To see the University of Saskatchewan’s press release, please visit:

http://www.usask.ca

To see the University of Calgary’s press release, please visit:

http://www.fp.ucalgary.ca/unicomm/news/index.html

To see Trent University’s press release, please visit:

http://www.trentu.ca

For more information:

Anna Kapiniari