Canadian Space Agency
St. Hubert, Quebec
Canadian Probe Launched to Mars
CALGARY, ALBERTA, July 3, 1998 -- The Honourable Ron Duhamel,
Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development) along with
Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Chris Hadfield and the University
of Calgary officials, today announced the successful launch of a
Canadian probe to Mars on the Japanese spacecraft Planet-B as part
of a global effort to continue surveying the Martian atmosphere,
surface, and interior. Successful lift off occurred today from
Japan's Kagoshima Launch Center. The satellite was launched on a
Japanese M-5 rocket.
Planet-B will be carrying a Canadian-designed and Canadian-built
Thermal Plasma Analyzer (TPA), an atmospheric probe which will
measure low-energy particles and gases considered vital to the
understanding of the origin and composition of the Martian
atmosphere. This mission will also be the first time Canada
participates in an interplanetary mission.
"This is a milestone in the Canadian Space Program and an historic
moment for all Canadians," said Dr. Ron Duhamel. "A Canadian
experiment is on its way to Mars to study the atmosphere which
will help us better understand our own environment. Our expertise
in atmospheric research and the excellent reputation of Canadian
space scientists has led to this invitation from Japan. This is
the first time Canada has sent an instrument as part of an
interplanetary mission and its success should lead to more
international collaboration with our partners."
The Canadian Space Agency is funding this research with the
participation of scientists from the University of Calgary, as
well as from the Universities of Alberta, Western Ontario, and
Victoria. The Co-Principal Investigators of the Canadian Thermal
Plasma Analyzer (TPA) are Dr. Andrew Yau and Dr. Greg Garbe,
professors of physics and astronomy at the University of Calgary.
"The launch of the Canadian probe marks a new chapter in Canadian
space exploration," said Dr. Yau. "As the first Canadian
instrument to orbit another planet, the TPA sets the stage for
Canada's participation in future international planetary missions
in the coming millennium." Others on the research team include
scientists from Hokkaido, Nagoya, and Tokyo.
The Canadian Thermal Plasma Analyzer (TPA) consists of a sensor
mounted at the end of a boom and a central Power and Controller
Unit inside the satellite. Once the satellite reaches Martian
orbit, the boom will unfold and extend the sensor away from the
spacecraft. This isolation is necessary in order to ensure that
the instrument performs without interference from the spacecraft.
"Canada's participation in missions to Mars is a large step toward
the future when humans will be going to the Red Planet," said CSA
Astronaut Chris Hadfield. "As an astronaut and also as an
explorer, I'm proud the Canadian Space Agency is involved in this
global exploration of Mars and am very excited by the important
data this probe will send back to Canadians and the world."
This international interplanetary exploration mission is sponsored
by Japan's Institute of Space and Astronautical Sciences with
instrumentation from Canada, Japan, Sweden, Germany, and the
United States. Participation in this mission provides Canadian
researchers with the data from all the other experiments on
Planet-B.