MDA gets $19.8 million contract to build satellite communications subsystem

MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. has announced that its U.K. subsidiary has received a contract from the European Space Agency valued at some $14 million euros or about C$19.8 million and is planned to finalize before the end of 2014.

The British Columbia-based space communications and information company says the contract is for the development and construction of a Ka band data relay terminal flight model for use on the ESA Columbus module of the International Space Station.

The MDA-built terminal will complement existing communication systems on board the ISS and, using Ka band, will enable higher bandwidth to provide ESA with an independent connection for faster delivery of scientific data and high definition video imagery between the space station and ground stations.

Don Osborne, MDA’s group vice president of Information Systems said, “We would like to recognize the support this commercial data relay program received from the UK Space Agency, the European Space Agency, and our industry partners."