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A team has been assembled that has the technical background
necessary to develop the elements of the MOST mission, and
to conduct the scientific research at the heart of the mission.
The composition of the team reflects additional, programmatic
objectives of the Canadian Space Agency's Small Payloads Program, such as to develop
a Canadian industrial ability to produce low-cost space science
missions based on microsatellite buses, and to involve universities
in the development process.
Science Team
The Mission Scientist for MOST is Professor Jaymie Matthews,
of the Department
of Physics and Astronomy at the University of British Columbia.
Co-investigators include Gordon Walker (University of British Columbia), Slavek Rucinski (Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope), Professor Anthony Moffat (Université de Montréal), Dimitar Sasselov (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics), David Guenther (Saint Mary's University, Halifax), and Werner Weiss (University of Vienna, Austria). This
science team is developing the mission's detailed science
requirements, as well as new theoretical stellar models to
exploit photometric data whose precision is two orders of
magnitude better than what has been possible from the ground.
Instrument Team
Dr.
Matthews is also the Principal Investigator for the MOST mission,
responsible for the design and construction of the instrument.
A team of optical, mechanical and electronics engineers has
been assembled at UBC, who already have a strong track record
in CCD instrumentation for many of the world's largest and
most advanced ground based telescopes. The UBC team also benefits
from the assistance of the Ontario Centre for Earth and Environmental Technologies (ETech),
which has expertise in structural design and instrument testing. This ETech Instrument Services Laboratory was privatized during the
course of the MOST project and is now Spectral Applied Research.
Spacecraft
Team
 The
structure, thermal, on-board computers
and telemetry & command systems, along with the ground stations,
have been developed by the University of Toronto Institute
for Aerospace Studies' Space Flight Laboratory (UTIAS/SFL).
The UTIAS/SFL has also led the spacecraft integration and test effort, and played a critical role in the launch campaign, commissioning and operation of the satellite. The UTIAS team is led by Dr. Robert E. Zee. UTIAS/SFLhas received direct mentoring from AMSAT North America (AMSAT-NA),
with support from AeroAstro.
In affiliation with AMSAT-NA, the design approach used in
AMSAT's Microsat series of satellites has been adapted for
use by MOST. UTIAS/SFL has also established facilities to
support the development of microspace missions, such as computing
facilities, assembly, integration and test facilities, three-axis
motion table for attitude control testing, microsatellite
simulators, thermal cycle and vacuum chambers, clean room,
and ground stations to operate these missions.
Other Web Sites on MOST
- MOST - Canadian Space Agency
- MOST Science Team - Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia
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MOST