Development of a transportable Optical Ground Station

*Please note that the ISC website will be available on *May 21, 2026* at 10:30am EST.*

This Challenge Notice is issued under the Innovative Solutions Canada Program (ISC) Call for Proposals 004 (EN578-24ISC4). For general ISC information, Offerors can visit the ISC website at: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/101.nsf/eng/home

Please refer to the Solicitation Documents Innovative Solutions Canada Program Call for Proposals – 004 - Tender Notice | CanadaBuys https://canadabuys.canada.ca/en/tender-opportunities/tender-notice/cb-3… which contains the process for submitting a proposal.

Steps to apply:
Step 1: Read this challenge.
Step 2: Read the Call for Proposals : https://canadabuys.canada.ca/en/tender-opportunities/tender-notice/cb-3…
Step 3: Propose your solution here : https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/innovative-solutions-canada/en/develop…

Development of a transportable Optical Ground Station

The Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) are seeking innovative research and development (R&D) solutions to provide a secure and resilient information eco-system by leveraging optical links via a transportable Optical Ground Station (OGS) capable of establishing communication with low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.
Challenge sponsor: Department of National Defense (DND)
Funding mechanism: Contract
Opening date: May 21, 2026
Closing date: July 2nd, 2026

Here are a few things you need to know before you get started on your application to this challenge:
1. This challenge is only open to receive proposals for Phase 1 (Proof of Feasibility) of our Challenge Stream. Proposed solutions that fall within technology readiness levels (TRL) 1-4 can be submitted to this challenge
2. We recently made changes to the Challenge Stream, we have outlined the new parameters
3. Read through the official solicitation documents
4. To read the tender notice for this specific challenge, refer to Tender Notice | CanadaBuys

Challenge
Problem Statement
The defence of North America requires resilient, secure, and assured connectivity between assets in space and on the ground. Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations offer global coverage and low latency, enabling next generation sensing, communications, and command and control capabilities essential to modern defence operations, including those conducted in the Arctic.

Defence Research and Development Canada’s (DRDC) Space Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Architectures Initiative is a multi year science and technology (S&T) effort supporting Continental Defence by advancing concepts, technologies, and architectures that enable resilient space information mobility. A key focus of this initiative is understanding how future space based communication systems can be effectively employed to support Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operations in northern and Arctic environments.

This Challenge invites proposals for the design, development, and demonstration of a transportable Optical Ground Station (OGS) capable of establishing high bandwidth optical communication links with satellites in low Earth orbit. The objective is to deliver a representative OGS prototype, that can serve as an R&D platform to characterize performance, environmental sensitivity, and operational trade offs for optical satellite communications in Arctic conditions.

Desired outcomes and considerations
Essential (mandatory) outcomes
The proposed solution must:
1. Support for optical links with LEO satellites at altitudes up to 1,000 km with a minimum data rate ≥1 Gbps under representative link conditions.
2. Be transportable within one (1) 20 foot ISO shipping container, two (2) 10 foot ISO containers, or an equivalent mobile platform, with a maximum total system mass of 15,000 kg, compatible with standard commercial transport methods (e.g., flatbed truck, cargo vessel).
3. Feature a modular hardware architecture with standardized mechanical , electrical and optical interfaces enabling replacement, modification, and upgrade of optical instruments, detectors, modems, and subsystems.
4. Be designed for interoperability with multiple optical communication standards (e.g., CCSDS, SDA, ESTOL ) and demonstrate compatible operation with at least two existing or planned space-based optical communication terminals or recognized reference (“gold standard”) systems.
5. Able to operate in harsh conditions, from −40C to 40C with sustained winds up to 20 knots and gusts up to 30 knots (up to 55 knots stowed).
6. Be deployable and operable on unprepared Arctic terrain (e.g., snow, ice, tundra, gravel, permafrost) without permanent ground preparation or fixed foundations, tolerating surface slopes up to 5° (≈9%) while maintaining required performance.
7. Include mitigation features for snow, ice, and rain. At a minimum, the solution must provide:
a) Enclosures supporting ≥30 cm snow load, equivalent to a pressure of 1kPa;
b) Environmental sealing against moisture ingress with a rating equivalent to IP55 (as defined by the standard IEC 60529) when the transportable optical ground station is closed;
c) De icing or anti icing functionality that does not degrade operational performance.
8. Include instrumentation and logging capability sufficient to characterize optical link performance, pointing stability, availability, and environmental effects (e.g., wind, temperature, snowfall) during Arctic deployment and operations.
9. Include remote monitoring and control capabilities, as well as autonomous link acquisition and tracking
10. Demonstrate that system setup, commissioning, and alignment (excluding site transport and gross positioning) can be completed by two personnel within 8 hours, using standard tools and prescribed deployment procedures.
11. Has a power interface that includes a physical and electrical generator‑mounting slot and accepts multiple standardized external power inputs such as 120 V, 240 V AC (50/60 Hz) US plugs, single‑ and three‑phase sources while autonomously managing power conditioning, conversion, and safe operation.
12. The control room or equivalent section of the transportable optical ground station must be maintainable to a temperature of 20oC ± 2oC during operation.

Additional outcomes
The proposed solution should:
1. Have atmospheric compensation, link optimization and capacity to establish links in moderate to strong turbulence (C_n^2 > 10-13m-2/3)
2. Provide command and control designed for stand-alone operation or in a network of ground stations, enabling handover and exchanging tracking information to reduce handover downtime.
3. Include battery backup systems for off-grid or remote deployments that allow continuous operation for 2 hours or more.
4. Be capable of establishing high-speed data links at data rates ≥10 Gbps.
5. Have capability for quantum and classical communications such as quantum key distribution.

Background and context
The defense of Northern Canada and the Arctic region is a strategic priority, where reliable communications remain a significant challenge due to the remoteness and harsh environmental conditions. Optical communications offer a promising solution to connect isolated locations with high-bandwidth links. To advance our understanding of the feasibility, deployment, and operational use of optical communications in these extreme environments, it is critical that the ground station be designed to withstand severe winter conditions. This capability will enable testing and validation of optical links in the Arctic, supporting future defense and sovereignty objectives.
Although ground stations capable of establishing optical links with LEO satellites already exist, space-to-ground communication still remains an important challenge. High data rates are achievable, link availability is affected by cloud cover and weather conditions. LEO satellites have short visibility windows—typically less than 15 minutes—with most of that time spent at low elevation angles. At these angles, the optical path through the atmosphere is longer, increasing turbulence and attenuation. Given the SWaP constraints of small LEO satellites, photon link budgets can also be tight.
1) American and European governmental agencies have demonstrated proofs-of-concept: Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Overview - NASA;
2) HydRON: High thRoughput Optical Network | IEEE Conference Publication | IEEE Xplore;
3) The European Space Agency (ESA) has a transportable ground station which supports their optical communications projects: ESA - ESA shipping container's laser link to space;
4) Several optical communications standards are currently under development, including SDA OCT (versions 3.0 and 4.0), CCSDS, and ESTOL. At this stage, it is uncertain which standard will be adopted for future operations. To ensure flexibility and promote interoperability between civilian and military space assets, as well as across international partners, it is essential that the optical ground station be designed with the capability to adapt to multiple standards. This adaptability will support research and development efforts and enable integration with evolving technologies and protocols.
5) In addition to classical optical communications, the integration of quantum communication capabilities is of growing interest, particularly in the context of secure links and quantum key distribution (QKD). Canada’s QEYSSAT mission exemplifies this trend, aiming to demonstrate space-based QKD for enhanced security in future networks. Designing a ground station that can support both classical and quantum optical links will position the system to leverage emerging technologies and contribute to national and allied quantum communication initiatives.

Maximum contract value and travel
Multiple contracts could result from this Challenge.

Phase 1
The maximum funding available for any Phase 1 contract resulting from this Challenge is: $300,000.00 CAD excluding applicable taxes, shipping, travel and living expenses, as required.
The maximum duration for any Phase 1 contract resulting from this Challenge is up to 6 months (excluding submission of the final report).
Estimated number of Phase 1 contracts: 4

Phase 2
Note: Only eligible businesses that have successfully completed Phase 1 will be invited to submit a proposal for Phase 2.

The maximum funding available for any Phase 2 contract resulting from this Challenge is : $2,000,000.00 CAD excluding applicable taxes, shipping, travel and living expenses, as required.
The maximum duration for any Phase 2 contract resulting from this Challenge is up to 14 months (excluding submission of the final report).
Estimated number of Phase 2 contracts: 1

This disclosure is made in good faith and does not commit Canada to award any contract for the total approximate funding. Final decisions on the number of Phase 1 and Phase 2 awards will be made by Canada on the basis of factors such as evaluation results, departmental priorities and availability of funds. Canada reserves the right to make partial awards and to negotiate project scope changes.

Note: Selected companies are eligible to receive one contract per phase per challenge.

Travel
No travel anticipated for Phase 1.