ArcticSat: A CubeSat for Canada’s North, With Canada’s North

Canada’s northern Inuit and Indigenous communities are experiencing climate change four times faster than the rest of the planet, impacting their traditional means of travel, hunting, and fishing. As temperatures rise, the sea ice forms later and melts earlier, allowing less time to perform these activities safely. While current satellite radiometry data can provide insight into the safety of the ice, Inuit communities require more timely and open access to this data. ArcticSat is a 3U CubeSat being co-developed with the Hamlet of Chesterfield Inlet, Nunavut, Canada, made to accomplish these goals. Community co-development ensures that community members lead the research and development of the mission, respecting their position as the rights-holders of Canada’s North. Access to ground stations installed in Canada’s Arctic will support ArcticSat’s operations and build northern satellite operations experience. The radiometer data gathered by ArcticSat will be distributed freely and quickly through Inuit data-sharing networks such as SIKU to ensure the data reaches those who need it. ArcticSat fosters collaboration throughout Canada, bolsters community co-development efforts in space, continues Canada’s remote sensing legacy, and improves community access to space.