Wind Turbine Generators

What do seabirds, forests and satellites in space have in common?

More than you might imagine.

Be it to improve soil use, reduce pollution, or guarantee better access to drinking water, space technologies and satellite data play an essential role in the daily lives of Canadians here on Earth.

Indeed, did you know that the Canadian Space Agency encourages and supports the development of advanced applications and solutions to help improve the quality of life everywhere? Here's a snapshot, for example:

WATER MANAGMENT:  

Fact: Over one billion people worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water.

Application: Did you know that applications developed for Canadian satellites Radarsat-1 and Radarsat-2 enable hydrologists to locate and better manage water resources around the world?

AGRICULTURE:  

Fact:Canada's total farm acreage is estimated at over 675,867 square kilometres, which is more than the area of the province of Alberta.

Application: In addition to guiding us on the ground, the global positioning system (GPS), combined with Canadian engineering, is helping Canadian producers save time, money and effort, while increasing safety. A Canadian company used GPS technology to develop an agricultural guidance system that greatly improves the distribution of fertiliser on fields either on the ground or from the air, a system that increases the cost-effectiveness of the whole process.

POLLUTION:  

Fact:Canadians released emissions into the atmosphere equivalent to those of 747 million mid-size cars driven for 5,000 km.

Application: MOPITT, a Canadian space instrument designed to measure pollution in the troposphere, that part of the atmosphere where most of our weather originates, was launched in December 1999, and was one of the first instruments to clearly show the large-scale transport of pollutants from one continent to another.

CLIMATE CHANGE:  

Fact: Every year, roughly 40,000 icebergs migrate through Canada's eastern waters.

Application: One of the most alarming effects of global climate change is the melting of the ice caps, which threatens to flood many coastal areas all over the world. Using Radarsat-1 and Radarsat-2 data, experts are able to monitor the ice and its movement.

EARTH RESOURCES:  

Fact: Our satellites are "gold mines" of information for responsible use of land and natural and geological resources.

Application: Mapping of geological features makes it possible to improve safety and realize major savings. Using images obtained by satellites Radarsat-1 and Radarsat-2, experts are able to detect faults, folds and other information critical in the search and distribution of groundwater.

FORESTS AND GREEN HERITAGE:  

Fact: Canada has the largest national parks system in the world – 42 national parks.

Application: The applications developed using data provided by Rasarsat-1 and Radarsat-2 play a leading role in observing and managing Canada's natural resources. Canadian satellites Radarsat-1 and Radarsat-2 provide data that can help protect and manage the ecological integrity and use of Canada's national parks.

More information is available online at www.asc-csa.gc.ca

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