Few think of British Columbia as a hub for innovation in the cosmos.
But given how tech-forward the entrepreneurship ecosystem is in Vancouver, it’s no surprise that there is indeed space-level innovation occurring locally.
For example, last month we reported on a Homer Street startup developing next-generation synthetic-aperture radar satellites to deliver a new level of geospatial intelligence.
SpaceAlpha Insights, a pioneer in the emerging “NewSpace” sector of private industry targeting the cosmos, is “working to unlock a new era of geospatial intelligence by providing next-gen Earth Observation solutions with SAR-XL satellite technology,” according to its website.
With its flagship SAR-XL technology, “the X and L bands work simultaneously to capture richer data,” the space upstart explains: “It’s entirely software defined, with a large phased array antenna that forms and steers the digital beams.”
In-orbit processing detects objects immediately, with ultra-high-res images captured and delivered in realtime. Data can be processed on-board the spacecraft using an artificial intelligence platform, the company says, with near-zero latency monitoring and object classification capabilities.
Among other applications, SAR-XL can offer a bigger, clearer picture of shifting environmental patterns around the globe.
From flood and wildfire management to optimized agriculture, SAR-XL is “designed to cover immense swaths of land.” Land can be classified and mapped, while identifying vegetation type, biomass, soil moisture content, and more, Alpha says. Sea level fluctuation can be measured to the millimetre.
Indeed, SpaceAlpha was recently named one of Canada’s most innovative startups.
Other examples include RaceRocks 3D, which is empowering Canadian defence and aerospace clients to be at their best with immersive training and innovative data analytics.
Named after an ecological reserve in the Strait of Juan de Fuca near the company’s headquarters in Victoria, Race Rocks deploys virtual, augmented, and mixed-reality simulations for specific and situational skills training.
“We build what you need, offering end-to-end learning solutions, from curriculum development, e-learning, augmented reality, virtual reality, and fully immersive simulations,” the Vancouver Island firm explains online. “We have the expertise to modernize existing training tools, improve, and optimize current training materials, and convert any in-class or printed resources into empowering digital assets.”
Founded in 2010 by Anita Pawluk, RaceRocks is today a top 75 Canadian Defence company, trusted by some of Canada’s biggest Navy and aerospace agencies.
Also born on Vancouver Island is Aluula Composites. Breaking the mold of conventional coated and laminated woven fabrics, Aluula has developed a proprietary process of co-polymer layer bonding that yields lightweight and durable composites.
Last year the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada announced an investment of $8.1 million in funding to help six Greater Victoria organizations boost innovation, drive business growth, and create new jobs and opportunities, which included $729,114 for Aluula.
While initially intended for specific applications by windsport professionals, the benefits of Aluula’s composite materials have found relevance across a broad range of markets, from aerospace to Arc’teryx.
And the most recent buzz in B.C. aerospace advancement hails from the government and the province’s largest airport, YVR.
Through a signed memorandum of understanding, B.C. and YVR will collaborate with partners, communities, and stakeholders across aviation and aerospace over a three-year period to support projects aimed at reducing pollution in aviation while promoting technological innovation and creating new jobs in the sector.
“Vancouver’s airport is one of our province’s biggest employers and economic drivers of growth and revenue,” said Premier David Eby. “They’re also leaders in sustainability and innovation.”
The initiative builds on a prior partnership with the Province from 2022 to deliver an Integrated Marketplace Initiative through the StrongerBC Economic Plan.
This new MOU will see the Province and airport work toward multiple goals, including mitigating pollution in the field, and emphasizes the importance of cultivating technology and talent, targeting an increase in clean-tech investment and promotion of made-in-B.C. technology.
Among other goals, the province intends to “promote workforce development growth to meet demand for skilled workers in aerospace and aviation.”
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