Advanced Satellite Integration Facility to be built at Magellan Aerospace
On May 20, Magellan Aerospace announced that, together with the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Manitoba, it will establish an advanced satellite integration facility (ASIF) at its Winnipeg location. The facility will be large enough to accommodate the simultaneous assembly, integration and testing of three satellite buses.
Magellan hosted a media event for the announcement. In attendance were The Honourable Michelle Rempel, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification (WD), Government of Canada; Dr. David Barnard, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manitoba, Mr. Don Boitson, Vice-President and General Manager, Magellan Aerospace and Dr. Jonathan Beddoes, P.Eng., Dean of Engineering. The facility will be paid for by funding from WD, Magellan and the University of Manitoba.
In addition to the construction of the facility, the program has received multi-year funding and will establish an Industrial Research Chair in the area of satellite development within the Faculty of Engineering. The ASIF will be shared and jointly operated by Magellan and U of M and will create a unique and innovative hub that will bring together industry and academia in the research, development and the construction and testing of satellite buses and components.
Construction of the 6,000 square foot facility is the first stage of the ASIF development. The second stage will see the facility equipped and configured with 3-axis cranes, environmental control equipment, fume hoods and other specialized equipment for the production and testing of satellite buses and subsystems.
The ASIF will be the first of its kind in western Canada.