CSMC Partners with Ontario Water Consortium to Develop Groundbreaking Space Technology for Earth
Toronto, Canada, September 13, 2023 – With the support of the Ontario Water Consortium’s Water Industry Growth (WIG) program, the Canadian Space Mining Corporation (CSMC) is demonstrating how space technology can transform life on Earth.
Water is critical for humanity, both on Earth and in space. As humans prepare for long-term space exploration and colonization, finding and extracting water efficiently becomes a top priority. To address this challenge, CSMC is developing the QASM instrument, a sensor-equipped satellite that uses quantum physics and artificial intelligence to create highly detailed 3D tomography of water and groundwater resources from orbit.
“Our technologies need to work with precision in the harsh environment of space,” explains Adam Gryfe, CSMC’s Chief Operating Officer. “We don’t have the luxury of drilling blindly in space, and the same principle applies to addressing critical water challenges here on Earth.”
Revolutionizing Earth’s Water Challenges
QASM’s Earth-based applications are as transformative as its space ambitions. With rising global temperatures depleting surface water sources, groundwater is becoming an increasingly vital resource. Current methods for detecting and analyzing groundwater rely on outdated tools like gravimeters and acoustic seismology, which often provide rough data and require costly, ecologically damaging drilling for confirmation.
QASM offers a faster, more accurate, and environmentally friendly solution. The sensor can identify water sources up to a kilometer beneath the surface with unprecedented precision, mapping subsurface compositions at an atomic level. Beyond locating groundwater, QASM can also assess water quality and track changes over time, empowering communities with the data needed to sustainably manage their water resources.
By significantly reducing exploratory drilling, QASM minimizes environmental disruption, slashes costs, and provides invaluable insights for projects ranging from water resource development to ensuring construction sites are free of subsurface risks like aquifers.
Driving Innovation with the WIG Program
CSMC has already validated QASM’s performance models and worked with experts to define its commercial prototype. With support from the Ontario Water Consortium’s WIG program, the company is accelerating development.
The WIG program, focused on advancing water technologies at the nexus of climate change and sustainability, has enabled CSMC to expand its team with world-class talent. This includes a Stanford physicist refining QASM’s models and a University of Waterloo geophysicist providing independent validation. In the coming months, CSMC will further test QASM’s capabilities, optimize its AI-powered algorithms, and solidify a commercialization roadmap.
“The Ontario Water Consortium has been instrumental in helping us take QASM from concept to reality,” says Gryfe. “Their support is allowing us to push forward a technology that we believe will become iconic for Canada.”
Building a World-Class Team
CSMC’s ambitious goal is to launch QASM within the next five years. While challenges lie ahead, the company’s seasoned team inspires confidence. With veterans like Marc Donato, who worked on the Canadarm2 and RADARSAT-2, and Richard Boudreault, an authority on space engineering and quantum mechanics, alongside NASA astronaut and former International Space Station Commander Andrew Feustel, CSMC boasts a team capable of delivering this groundbreaking technology.
“We’re incredibly bullish on this,” says Gryfe. “QASM has the potential to be a flagship Canadian technology, revolutionizing water management on Earth while paving the way for sustainable space exploration.”
CSMC’s mission goes beyond space—it’s about solving pressing problems on Earth while preparing humanity for the future. With the support of visionary partners and cutting-edge technology, they are well on their way to achieving both.
