Self-deploying radar antennas from Astro Aerospace are to be used on Canada's Earth observation satellites that monitor maritime activity.

Astro Aerospace, a business unit of Northrop Grumman, said 13 of the antennas were delivered to Canada's MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd., the prime contractor for the government's RADARSAT Constellation Mission.

"We are pleased to provide an affordable and reliable antenna solution to the next generation of RADARSAT to support the Canadian Space Agency," said Dan Johansen, RCM program manager, Northrop Grumman Astro Aerospace. "Our continued emphasis on breakthrough engineering has resulted in a 100 percent success rate on more than 1,000 units on satellite missions."

The antennas, which self-deploy in 200 milliseconds, are configurable stored-energy monopoles that will be integrated into the satellites' automatic identification system payload. The 13 antennas used in the RCM stow in a low mass and compact 4-inch by 4-inch by 2.5-inch canister, the company said.

The antennas can be tailored to specific applications and have been used in NASA's Gemini and Apollo missions and in U.S. Air Force GPS satellites.