In the beginning...
The year was 1965, and the University of Saskatchewan's Institute of Space and Atmospheric Studies announced the formation of a new group within its organization. It was called the Space Engineering Division - its mandate was to design and build rocket instrumentation for upper atmospheric studies. Its destiny was to become the present day SED Systems.
The question inevitably asked is how did the University, and SED, get involved in upper atmospheric studies in a region identified with agriculture and mining? To answer that, one must look back for some historical perspective.
Observations of the upper atmosphere were being conducted at the U of S as early as the 1930s, first with balloons and then later in the 50s with sounding rockets. The primary interest was in the auroral band, or "Northern Lights" that can be seen more frequently in Saskatchewan than anywhere else on the globe. Saskatoon's university became the natural focal point for international research, and the Institute of Space and Atmospheric Studies was founded in 1957. Under the direction of Dr. Balfour Currie, a prominent U of S scientist and a founder of Canadian space research, the institute conducted investigations into auroral phenomena.
While there were few scientific satellites in the 1950s and 60s, the National Research Council of Canada ran an extensive sounding rocket program. ISAS contributed to that program by designing various scientific instruments and experiments. Much of the payload development and engineering, however, was done by NRCC itself.
When, in 1965, a decision was made to contract out some of these services, Dr. Alex Kavadas saw an opportunity for a commercial venture. Upon convincing the U of S and NRCC of the merits of such as idea, the Space Engineering Division was born. With Dr. Kavadas as director, one engineer, and three technicians, the company was on its way.
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1965
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SED is established as a division of the ISAS of the U of S.
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1967
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The first rocket payload designed by SED is launched from the rocket range in Churchill, MB. Between 1965 and 1989, SED builds and launches over 65 rocket payloads.
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1972
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SED delivers the ground control system for Canada's first Communications Technology Satellite.
The conversion of the Prince Albert Radar Laboratory to a satellite tracking station constitutes SED's first ground station. The station, operated by SED for the next 16 years, receives the first remote sensing images of earth taken by the first Landsat satellite.
SED becomes a private company and changes its name to SED Systems.
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1972-1976
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SED diversifies into agricultural instrumentation products including a mastitis detector for dairy cattle and various seeder and grain loss monitors. The division is later spun-off as a private Saskatoon company. More than a dozen local companies trace their roots to SED.
Using technology developed for space, SED's HILDA, a system to measure vibration frequencies in high voltage power lines, wins the Governor-General's award for design.
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1977 - 1981
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SED installs the most northerly known geo-synchronous satellite communications system at Eureka, 81oN.
SED begins work with Hughes Aircraft Company to provide satellite test and ground control equipment. This relationship continues today with HAC's successor, Boeing Satellite Systems.
SED works with Telesat Canada to provide satellite-tracking systems in Canada and Guam.
The company is reorganized to become SED Systems Inc.
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1982 - 1986
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SED provides the entire ground control system for Brazil's domestic communications satellites. The project spawns significant new technology including the first of SED's in-orbit test systems.
A mission operations system is provided to Canada's Search and Rescue Satellite program.
SED enters the contract manufacturing business by building radar displays for Transport Canada's modernization of its air traffic control network.
The company signs one of its largest contracts ever, to provide communications equipment for Canada's new patrol frigates.
SED's GEODE becomes Canada's first rocket-borne microgravity payload.
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1986 - 1990
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The company is operating as four divisions that reflect its major contracts; Satellite Ground Systems, Defense and Government Systems, Custom Manufacturing, and Space Programs.
SED moves into its current facilities at 18 Innovation Boulevard.
SED's SMS, a supra-thermal mass spectrometer, becomes the first foreign instrument to be flown on a Japanese satellite, AKEBONO.
Work is underway at SED on ground-based equipment to test Canadarm-II, the robotic manipulator now installed on the international Space Station.
Work is also underway on ground systems and test equipment for the RADARSAT-1 program, Canada's first remote sensing satellite.
Calian Technologies of Kanata ON buys SED from its then-owner, Fleet Aerospace, and SED becomes Calian’s Systems Engineering Division.
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1991 - 2000
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SED establishes itself as a world-leader in the area of in- orbit test, delivering systems to KoreaSat, ICO, Thuraya, Mabuhay and Telenor. The system for GlobalStar is the first- known commercial IOT for testing communications payloads on low- earth orbiting satellites.
The company begins operations support for RADARSAT-1, a contract that continues today. A co-prime TT&C system is located adjacent to SED's facility in Saskatoon.
SED's Access Control and Signaling Equipment is the first in the world to be operating in all four ocean regions.
WorldSpace Corporation contracts with SED to provide feederlink stations for the first-ever digital radio service via satellite. XM Satellite Radio awards follow-on work for uplink and management systems.
The company develops a leading-edge adaptive antenna receiving system for use in the Canadian military.
A major contract is awarded to SED for the manufacture of thousands of cable harnesses for the IRIS program.
SED signs the largest contract ever awarded to a Canadian company by the European Space Agency for a 35 meter deep-space antenna system.
Inmarsat awards SED contracts for mobility management and network management systems for installation in Europe and Asia.
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2000 -
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Satellite operations for Radarsat-1 continue. In 2005, the satellite achieves 10 years of service in orbit, exceeding its design lifetime by 100% - and it is still in operation today. In 2007, SED is awarded several additional satellite operations contracts including one to provide services for Radarsat-2 operations, another from the Ciel Satellite Group to expand SED’s satellite control center facilities in Saskatoon in preparation for the initiation of tracking, telemetry and control operations for the Ciel-2 satellite.
Work with XM Satellite Radio also continues as SED takes on development of XM’s Uplink Authorization System, as well as other system and service enhancements.
The company applies its satellite technology to non-satellite, wireless applications as SED provides a major telecommunications equipment supplier with customized Ka-band test fixtures to verify the operation of digital microwave radios.
Based on the success of the first system, the European Space Agency purchases a second 35m deep space antenna system from SED; this one is installed in Spain.
SED is a major supplier in the roll-out of Inmarsat’s BGAN service, providing in-orbit test systems, a variety of network and resource management systems, and a number of RF subsystems located around the world.
SED begins manufacturing various systems and components used by St. Louis company, SEI, to manufacture a Manportable Surveillance and Target Acquisition Radar (MSTAR) system used in surveillance and security applications.
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SED is proud of its long history of service and accomplishments. The expertise and capabilities developed over more than 40 years in the industry are being applied successfully today to meet the new challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.
For recent announcements and news items, please see the news and events page.
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