MDA Space awarded contract with Canadian Department of National Defence to deliver Ground-Based Optical Capability for Space Surveillance
Press Release + Noah Note
March 18, 2026 (TORONTO, ON) – MDA Space Ltd. (TSX:MDA) (NYSE:MDA), a trusted mission partner to the rapidly expanding global space industry, announced today that it has been contracted by Canada’s Defence Investment Agency (DIA) to deliver three Ground-Based Optical (GBO) observatories as part of the Surveillance of Space 2 space domain awareness program to the Department of National Defence (DND). Valued at approximately $32 million, as part of the contract MDA Space will also operate and provide in-service support to ensure long-term sustainment of the ground stations.
The DND is modernizing Canada’s continental defence capabilities to address new and emerging threats to critical space infrastructure. Once delivered, the new GBO observatories will provide additional defence capabilities to Canada’s existing Sapphire satellite which currently enables the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to detect, track, characterize and monitor objects in deep space.
Through this contract, by 2028, MDA Space will establish three remotely operated GBO observatories in Alberta, Manitoba and New Brunswick. These observatories will provide persistent, reliable space surveillance from the ground, and are an important component of Canada’s broader space‑surveillance architecture.
Quotes
“As space becomes more contested, congested and competitive, persistent surveillance and space domain awareness provides the Canadian Armed Forces and trusted allies with a better understanding of what is happening in a complex environment they can’t otherwise see. With decades of proven expertise providing defence and security, MDA Space is honoured to once again be selected as a trusted mission partner to Canada and to the Department of National Defence.”
Mike Greenley
Chief Executive Officer, MDA Space
“Canada’s security depends on the space‑based systems that enable everything from communications and navigation to weather forecasting and emergency response. Today’s contract award to MDA Space will deliver the capabilities the Canadian Armed Forces need while growing Canada’s world‑class space sector and creating good-paying jobs. With the Defence Investment Agency and our Defence Industrial Strategy, we are streamlining procurements and building the sovereign capabilities that will ensure Canada remains a leader in this crucial domain.”
The Honourable Stephen Fuhr
Secretary of State (Defence Procurement)
Noah Note: To quote myself quoting people… SOS 2 official aim is “to address national Space Situational Awareness (SSA) requirements, strategic relevance and allied burden sharing. SofS 2 will enable the RCAF to continue to perform deep space surveillance for the protection of Canadian deep space assets, mission assurance for space-based capabilities that support the CAF, and to ensure that Canada is an active contributor to the operations of the Space Surveillance Network (SSN).”
SOS 2 is a followup to Sapphire, our current space-based surveillance satellite who was launched back in 2013 and about ready to fall out of the sky on any given day. She is old and in desperate need of replacement. She also represents one area Canada uniquely positions ourselves to our allies.
The Space Observation capabilities Sapphire provides are unique in NATO. Sapphire herself is a critical asset, one that continues to form a major backbone of NATOs space ecosystem. Her true replacement, a Space-Based Optical Capability, is in the RFP stage as of now. Sadly she is unlikely to be up there before Sapphire is done.
MDA in partnership with ThothX was contracted to provide an interim Ground-Based capability back in November. This builds off of that work, and peovides an interim capability until both sides of SOS 2 are online. When complete Canada will be one of the few countries to maintain both a Ground amd Space-based observation capability.
A return of the concept of the Baker-Nunn cameras of the 70's.