Canada Seeks Bids for HAWCsat Spacecraft Bus
The Canadian Space Agency has opened Phase A bidding for the HAWCsat spacecraft bus and integration, with offers due December 7.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Space
The Canadian Space Agency opened bidding on October 28 for Phase A covering the spacecraft bus and integration of HAWCsat. Public Services and Procurement Canada posted the solicitation on CanadaBuys on the agency's behalf, with offers due December 7 at 2 p.m. Eastern.
Why it matters
The solicitation moves the HAWCsat mission from its concept study toward the build stage of the spacecraft. It also reflects Canada's continued investment in its space programs, which follow the country's 2022 entry into the AOS initiative.
The HAWCsat concept study was awarded to SFL Missions of Toronto in January 2025 for $1.6 million. The value of the bus and integration Phase A has not been disclosed, and the extraction does not indicate a winning bidder.
The players
Canadian Space Agency
The Canadian Space Agency is the federal agency responsible for Canada's space program, including missions, instruments and international partnerships.
SFL Missions
SFL Missions is a Toronto-based company that won the HAWCsat Phase 0 concept study in January 2025.
ABB Canada
ABB is a multinational technology company whose Canadian operations, together with Honeywell, won $5.4 million in TICFIRE study contracts in October 2025.
Honeywell Canada
Honeywell is a multinational industrial technology company whose Canadian operations, together with ABB, won $5.4 million in TICFIRE study contracts in October 2025.
The details
The Canadian Space Agency opened Phase A bidding for the HAWCsat spacecraft bus and integration on October 28. The solicitation was posted by Public Services and Procurement Canada on CanadaBuys, and the agency will hold an optional bidders' conference on Microsoft Teams on November 6.
Timeline
January 2025: SFL Missions of Toronto won the HAWCsat Phase 0 concept study.
2022: Canada joined AOS with an estimated contribution of more than $200 million.
October 2025: ABB and Honeywell's Canadian operations won $5.4 million in TICFIRE study contracts.
October 28: The CSA opened Phase A bidding for the HAWCsat bus and integration.
December 7, 2 p.m. Eastern: Offers are due for the HAWCsat bus Phase A.
Big Picture
Canada's estimated AOS contribution of more than $200 million, made when it joined in 2022, frames the HAWCsat bus solicitation as a concrete step in that commitment. The Phase A tender moves the mission from concept study toward building a spacecraft bus, following SHOW, whose Phase A bidding opened in September.
For Canadian companies with space engineering capabilities, the HAWCsat bus solicitation is a direct opportunity to bid on federal work with offers due December 7. Canadian taxpayers are funding the program, with the Phase 0 study valued at $1.6 million and Canada's AOS contribution estimated at more than $200 million.
The takeaway
Watch for the bus and integration tender expected later this year, which will show how much of the HAWCsat build Canada plans to fund and who is positioned to win it.
What happens next
Bidders' conference on Microsoft Teams on November 6, followed by the December 7 deadline for Phase A offers on the HAWCsat bus.
Further reading
For more on Canada's wider space programs, explore the Space section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by SpaceQ.
