Editing David Florida Laboratory

The '''David Florida Laboratory''' is the [[Canadian Space Agency]]'s spacecraft assembly, integration and testing centre, in [[Shirleys Bay]], just west of central [[Ottawa]]. It is operated by the [[Canadian Space Agency]] and rented out to Canadian and foreign aerospace and telecommunications companies and organizations for qualifying space bound equipment such as communication or [[scientific satellites]], or components made to be placed on satellites or installed in a space station. The laboratory was named to honour [[C. David Florida]], a leading Canadian pioneer in space research.

Officially opened in September 1972, the lab has been expanded over the years to accommodate the demand for its services. There are many support facilities such as storage areas, [[clean room]]s, electrodynamic shakers, [[anechoic chamber]]s, space (thermal and vacuum) simulation chambers and in-house mechanical, electrical and electronic shops.

In the past the David Florida Laboratory has tested satellites for [[Brazil]], [[Indonesia]], and the [[European Space Agency]]. [[Inmarsat]] has designated it as their authorized antenna test house. It has also tested Canadian satellites such as [[RADARSAT-1]] and previously tested the [[Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator]] (Dextre) which now forms part of the [[Mobile Servicing System]] of the [[International Space Station]]. It completed work on the [[Orbiter Boom Sensor System]] which first flew on [[Shuttle Discovery]] during [[STS-114]].  The Laboratory worked on [[RADARSAT-2]] prior to launch in 2007.

Recently the David Florida Laboratory has completed the integration and environmental testing of the [[Maritime Monitoring and Messaging Microsatellite]] (M3MSat). This is a technology demonstration satellite that will be used to assess the utility of having in space an Automatic Identification System (<abbr>AIS</abbr>) for reading signals from vessels to better manage transport in Canadian waters. <abbr>M3MSat</abbr> was scheduled to be launched in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web
| url = http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/faq.asp
| title = Astronauts - FAQ
| last = media
| first = Government of Canada, Canadian Space Agency, Directions of communications, Information services and new
| website = Canadian Space Agency website
| access-date = 2016-03-02
}}</ref>

The government announced in March 2024 that the laboratory will close by March 31, 2025.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-03-04 |title=Space agency closing research lab key to International Space Station, Canadarm |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/david-florida-laboratory-ottawa-canada-closing-1.7130800 |work=CBC News}}</ref>

== Notes ==
<references />

==External links==
* [http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/about/faqs_dfl.asp Canadian Space Agency website - David Florida Laboratory FAQ's]
* [http://www.friendsofcrc.ca/Projects/DFL/satf.html Historical anecdotes of David Florida Laboratory]
{{coord|45.347094|-75.886250|display=inline,title}}

{{Canadian Space Agency}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Space program of Canada]]
[[Category:Science and technology in Canada]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Ottawa]]
[[Category:Research institutes in Canada]]
[[Category:Space technology research institutes]]
[[Category:1972 establishments in Ontario]]