University of British Colombia

Published purpose

The Research component of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Class Grant and Contribution Program to support Research, Awareness and Learning in Space Science and Technology provides financial support to organizations to conduct space related research and development in priority areas. It will support targeted knowledge development and innovation to sustain and enhance the Canadian capacity to use space to address national needs and priorities in the future. The Announcement of opportunity “ Flights for the Advancement of Science and Technology (FAST)” aims at: - Fostering the continuing development of a critical mass of researchers and HQP by providing a training ground for both the current and next generation of scientists and engineers; - Supporting the development of science and technology relevant to the priorities of the CSA through the use of research platforms including stratospheric balloons, aircraft, sounding rockets, nanosatellites, cubesats, ground-based facilities and field sites. More specifically, this project entitled "" The Primordial Inflation Polariztion ExploreR (PIPER) Balloon - borne survey "" has the following objective (s): - To impart technical skills including the development of flight electronics; firmware programming; detector integration and testing skills; cryogenic design and build skills; instrument calibration experience; flight software development; mission simulation software development; test and flight data analysis skills; and systems engineering skills. - To train HQP comprehensively in all aspects of the scientific method, - To expose them to every aspect of the scientific method allowing them to develop hands-on experience that will prepare them for a wide range of duties in a variety of applied research and development environments including the design and execution of an experiment as well as the development of an instrument in support of physical cosmology.