St-Hubert, July 26, 2001 – The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and RADARSAT
International (RSI) announced today that two international network stations
have been awarded RADARSAT-1 product certification. The Geo-informatics and
Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) located in Bangkok, Thailand,
and the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) based in Cuiaba,
Brazil, increase RSI’s network of operational and product-certified ground
stations to 14 worldwide.

“With such a comprehensive network of receiving stations located around the
globe, Canada’s RADARSAT-1 satellite will continue to prove its capabilities
delivering near-real time, reliable monitoring services for applications
such as flood monitoring, maritime pollution monitoring and illegal
ship/fishing surveillance,” said Dr. Satish Srivastava, Manager of
Operations Planning at the Canadian Space Agency.

RSI, a subsidiary of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA), was the
first satellite data and information provider in the industry to institute
jointly with CSA a product certification program, which requires that
network stations meet CSA and RSI product formats and standards
specifications. Stations gain certification by demonstrating their ability
to process received data to RADARSAT program-compliant Level 1 imagery
product standards. For example, the Path Image product could be readily
integrated and displayed by commercial off-the-shelf software. Certified
network stations have the ability to broaden their distribution channels and
penetrate a much wider market. The certification program also ensures that
clients will receive image products that meet the same standard and format,
regardless of which network station produces them.
Network stations are a significant element of the RADARSAT program because
they provide both RSI and end users access to greater global radar satellite
coverage for near-real time operations. RSI’s goal is to lend support to
this important network to help stations respond to market demands and
operational needs.

“Network stations have the expertise and resources to build an operational
business by providing strategic, competitive satellite-derived intelligence
to a variety of users”, said Dr. Pierre Engel, RSI’s Director of
International Network Stations. “RSI supports this endeavour by helping
stations move away from the concept of just selling imagery to adopting a
business strategy that focuses on the supply of practical information. With
this model, stations are positioning themselves as an information source for
operational needs within their own local market.”

This program will evolve in the future to include the certification of
services better suited to capitalize on the operational application
potential offered by a constellation of satellites in a ground station
environment. As near real-time activities, such as ship detection, maritime
oil pollution, and crop monitoring require constant acquisitions and timely
information delivery, a distributed network of stations will ensure
information is delivered on time and in the format specified.

About Canada’s RADARSAT-1 Earth-observation Satellite

As the world’s first operationally-oriented radar satellite, RADARSAT is
equipped with an advanced synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that allows
collection of images regardless of weather or illumination conditions.
RADARSAT’s unique capabilities, including eight metre resolution and
near-real time services, open a vast new array of applications around the
world. RADARSAT-2 is under construction and is expected to be launched in
2003.

About the Canadian Space Agency (www.space.gc.ca)

Established in 1989 with its headquarters situated in Saint-Hubert, Quebec,
the Canadian Space Agency coordinates all aspects of the Canadian Space
Program. Through its Space knowledge, Applications and Industry Development
business line, the CSA delivers services involving: Earth and the
Environment: Space Science; Human Presence in Space; Satellite
Communications; Generic Space Technologies; Space Qualification Services and
Awareness. The Canadian Space Agency is at the forefront of the development
and application of space knowledge for the benefit of Canadians and
humanity.

About RADARSAT International (www.rsi.ca)

RSI, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates
(TSE-MDA, www.mda.ca), is a worldwide provider of products and information
solutions derived from Earth-observation (EO) satellite data.

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For information:

Andre Leclair
Senior Communications Advisor
Canadian Space Agency
Tel.: (450) 926-4370
Fax: (450) 926-4352
andre.leclair@space.gc.ca
http://www.space.gc.ca

Cory Rossignol or Kate Stephens
Corporate Communications
RADARSAT International
Tel.: (604) 231-5000
Fax: (604) 231-4900
crossignol@rsi.ca or kstephens@rsi.ca
http://www.rsi.ca