Industrial Collaborative Opportunities

The University of Alberta:
Industrial Collaborative Opportunities
Ian R. Mann
CRC in Space Physics
Co-Director of ISSET
University of Alberta
[email protected]
UofA Institute for Space Science
Exploration and Technology (ISSET)
• New University of Alberta space institute.
“We inspire scientific discovery & the pursuit of knowledge
through innovation and leadership in planetary and space
exploration”
• Key strength combining science and engineering, with foci:
•
•
•
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microgravity science and planetary environment
space technology for instrumentation and robotics
planetary materials science
space physics and space environment
ORBITALS Radiation Belt Small Satellite
Tagish Lake Meteorite
Credit: Michael Holly, Creative Services
Ground-based space science;
Instrument site at Taloyoak
Artist’s impression of the Phoenix lander.
Photo credit: JPL/NASA
“The CAVE” 3D Visualization
Tool, The Advanced ManMachine Interface Laboratory
Industrial Opportunities
• Already established international excellence in space
science and engineering.
• Exploit University strength in “innovation”
Industrial need or interest
University Innovation
Increased TRL or
Narrowed Trade Space
Follow-on Industrial
Development
New product to market
Space and Planetary Instrument
and Mission Design
International Space Science Missions and
Instruments
• NASA-CSA THEMIS Mission (launched 2007)
– Five satellites, and ground-observatory network (UofC, UofA, AU)
• CSA e-POP Mission (integrated to satellite; launch 2011)
– Lead from UofC, data distribution UofA, science UofC, UofA, AU
• Proposed CSA ORBITALS mission (launch 2015)
– Lead UofA, instruments UofA and UofC; $5M CAD development to date
• Future Missions: CSA I-SWEAT (UofC, UofA); NASA RBSP (UofA);
ESA SWARM (UofC, UofA); JAXA-CSA SCOPE (UofA, UofC)...
Industrial Partners: MDA, COMDEV,
Bristol-Magellan, Best Medical, DPL
Science, Magnametrics...
BRISTOL AEROSPACE LIMITED
Excellence in Space Science Instrumentation
• Excellent synergy between capabilities at UofA, UofC, UofL and
UA.
• International partnerships in sounding rocket program
– Low cost access to sub-orbital and near-Earth space
• Excellence in ground-based, rocket- and balloon-bourne , and
space-based space science instrumentation
– Synergy between UofA & UofC: Magnetometers (UofA), optical and radio
(UofC), high energy (UofA), and low energy (UofC) plasma instruments.
• Application: future missions to near-Earth space, moon, and Mars.
Materials Science & Planetary Geophysics
• Materials analysis and specialist material development
– Largest University meteorite collection in Canada (UofA)
– State of the art electron and ion microscopy analysis
– National Institute for Nano-Technology (NINT) offers unique
capacity for new and nano-materials
• Geological partnerships in specialist drilling for planetary, and
non-standard terrestrial oil & oil sands applications
– Industrial partners: Altech Eng., Control Manufacturing Inc.,
Control Drilling Service etc.
Concept:
Borehole GRS
on Mars
• World-renown space modelling program
– Solar-planetary (UofA), and space and atmospheric spacecraft
interactions (UofA CFD lab.) and spacecraft charging (UofA, UofC)
Volcano
Tagish Lake
Meteorite
Photo credit: Michael Holly,
Creative Services, University of
Alberta
Lobate fault
Photo credit: Screen grab from A. Bartlett & Dr. Erin Walton
NASA Messenger Mercury Mission
The Buzzard Coulee fireball in thin section
Dr. Carlos F. Lange
[email protected]
Mechanical Engineering
•
Computational Fluid Dynamics and other
modelling tools are being used for development,
characterization and optimization of new instruments
for space exploration:
– temperature sensors
– wind sensors
– humidity sensors
•
Advanced Technologies employed in sensors have
applications in other fields:
– human cough and pandemic control
– humidity in dry process control
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Capabilities developed for space missions can be
applied to aerospace and other high-tech industries.
Earth Observation &
Hyper-Spectral Imaging
UofA in collaboration with UofL.
Airborne imaging spectroscopy for exploration
Client:
Goldbrook
Defence
and
homeland
security:
• Trafficability of
landscape
• Detection of
road pathways
A .True colour image
B,C. disturbed soil
(major roads)
D. disturbed soil
(minor “roads”)
E. RGB of B,C,D
Client: DND
A
B
C
D
E
Example: Gas Detection
Potential
Clients:
Police,
Defence,
Homeland
Security etc.
Detection of
methanol plume.
Application to:
• The detection of
illicit labs
• Industrial spills
• Homeland
security
Future Opportunities:
Alberta As Gateway to Arctic North
• Use of sub-orbital (balloon, unmanned vehicle (UAV), airship,
sounding rocket) and nano-satellite platforms in space for
benefit of Albertans
• Data interpretation and management
International Sustaining Arctic
– Environmental, land use, climate change monitoring (e.g.,
Observing Network (SAON)
arctic, oil sands, etc)
– Commercial communications and tele-medicine to remote
communities
– Leadership role in science : space, environmental, astronomical,
cryosphere, climate, biodiversity
– Arctic sovereignty
CSA Radarsat arctic ice
CEOS
Space-based
services for
Albertans.
Distributed Compute Power, Data
Handling, Mining, and Distribution.
ICT, Information Management, Data Services,
Data Mining
• World-leader in data distribution, including multi-instrument, and
multi-platform data management, handling, characterisation and
mining.
• World leader in “Cloud Computing”
• CSA, and provincial Cybera and federal CANARIE (NEP-I, NEP-II)
partnerships and funding (~$5M CAD)
• Opportunities and spin-off company applications:
– Cloud computing services
– All distributed geophysical data sets (oil and resource exploration, land
use, climate, etc) or other data or records such as patient health etc.
– Human genome mapping, searching genetic code for future genetic routes
to major illness cures.
Future Prospective
• Opportunity to use sub-orbital and space to serve Canadians:
Balloons
UAVs
Sounding Rockets
Next Generation
Sub-orbital
Cube, Nano,
Small Satellites
Advanced platforms, advanced instrumentation and data management and
interpretation – serve the needs of Albertans and Alberta industry.
University Strength in Training HQP
Payload and
sounding
rocket training
with UofA ,
UofC, UofS
and industry.
Canadian
Satellite
Design
Challenge
CaNoRock – Canada-Norway sounding rocket program
Industrial Opportunities
• Utilise and harness University strength in “innovation”.
• Space opportunities for Alberta companies:
– System Engineering and Mission Management
– Industrial instrument design, build and test for space
– Specialised and miniaturised materials, electronics and control etc
• Spin offs:
– Earth Observation: Hyperspectral instruments and data management
for arctic and northern surveying, exploration, sovereignty and
security
– Applications of technology – e.g., new materials, miniaturised
electronics, control software, robotics, oil and mineral surveying
– Cloud computing
– Distributed data management & mining (e.g., oil patch, genome...)
– Health (e.g., CFD application to pandemic control!)
– Many more...