SOLAR SHIP INC. ESTABLISHES CONTRACT WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF CANADA
March 28, 2016
Solar Ship Inc. is working with the Government of Canada to help expand Canada’s future capabilities in peacekeeping, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.
Solar Ship Inc. has a contract with the Federal Government’s Build in Canada Innovation Program (BCIP) to work with the the Royal Canadian Air Force, Department of National Defence to test and evaluate the capabilities of innovative aircraft designed to transport critical cargo during disaster relief missions. The aircraft will be tested for additional applications relevant to the Royal Canadian Air Force’s support of humanitarian assistance missions, as determined by the government of Canada.
“We’ve been working with former RCAF pilots, engineers and operations personnel since 2009, preparing our capabilities to help with their missions to save lives,” says Solar Ship CEO and founder, Jay Godsall. “It is a great honour for us to officially work with the RCAF. We have followed the guidance of retired RCAF Commander, General Andre Deschamps to recruit and hire top level retired RCAF talent to collaborate more formally with what is often called the greatest flying organization in the world.”
Retired Lieutenant-Colonel Tim Shopa, former lead operational test and evaluation officer for the RCAF’s CF-18 fleet, says, “Solar Ship has proven some core capabilities in conducting difficult missions when it demonstrated the ability to takeoff and land from a soccer field with a mass of 1.8 tonnes using solar electric power. Now we must demonstrate that other key performance parameters can be met to enable disaster relief missions in regions like Africa where there is little or no infrastructural support. Once the technology’s capabilities are confirmed it will change the possibilities associated with all humanitarian assistance missions. This is an exciting time to be Canadian and involved in this aerospace achievement.”
About Solar Ship
Solar Ship Inc. builds hybrid aircraft that gaining lift from both buoyant gas and aerodynamics. Its wing- ship design allows for extreme short takeoff and landing (XSTOL), such as in a soccer field. Its design provides a large surface area for solar electric power, allowing long, self-sufficient range. A solarship can be either solar powered or powered by traditional combustion. However, the goal is to develop a new mode of transportation that does not depend on fossil fuels, roads, or runways.
About the BCIP
The Build in Canada Innovation Program (BCIP) is an initiative launched as part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to promote Canada’s economic growth .The Program is managed by the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises – Strategic Engagement (OSME-SE). The BCIP was created to bolster innovation in Canada’s business sector and supports the federal commitment to bridge the pre-commercialization gap for innovative goods and/or services by supporting Canada’s pre-commercial Innovation readiness and by providing Innovators with the opportunity to enter the marketplace with a successful application of their new good and/or service.
Solar Ship Inc. is working with the Government of Canada to help expand Canada’s future capabilities in peacekeeping, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.
Solar Ship Inc. has a contract with the Federal Government’s Build in Canada Innovation Program (BCIP) to work with the the Royal Canadian Air Force, Department of National Defence to test and evaluate the capabilities of innovative aircraft designed to transport critical cargo during disaster relief missions. The aircraft will be tested for additional applications relevant to the Royal Canadian Air Force’s support of humanitarian assistance missions, as determined by the government of Canada.
“We’ve been working with former RCAF pilots, engineers and operations personnel since 2009, preparing our capabilities to help with their missions to save lives,” says Solar Ship CEO and founder, Jay Godsall. “It is a great honour for us to officially work with the RCAF. We have followed the guidance of retired RCAF Commander, General Andre Deschamps to recruit and hire top level retired RCAF talent to collaborate more formally with what is often called the greatest flying organization in the world.”
Retired Lieutenant-Colonel Tim Shopa, former lead operational test and evaluation officer for the RCAF’s CF-18 fleet, says, “Solar Ship has proven some core capabilities in conducting difficult missions when it demonstrated the ability to takeoff and land from a soccer field with a mass of 1.8 tonnes using solar electric power. Now we must demonstrate that other key performance parameters can be met to enable disaster relief missions in regions like Africa where there is little or no infrastructural support. Once the technology’s capabilities are confirmed it will change the possibilities associated with all humanitarian assistance missions. This is an exciting time to be Canadian and involved in this aerospace achievement.”
About Solar Ship
Solar Ship Inc. builds hybrid aircraft that gaining lift from both buoyant gas and aerodynamics. Its wing- ship design allows for extreme short takeoff and landing (XSTOL), such as in a soccer field. Its design provides a large surface area for solar electric power, allowing long, self-sufficient range. A solarship can be either solar powered or powered by traditional combustion. However, the goal is to develop a new mode of transportation that does not depend on fossil fuels, roads, or runways.
About the BCIP
The Build in Canada Innovation Program (BCIP) is an initiative launched as part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to promote Canada’s economic growth .The Program is managed by the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises – Strategic Engagement (OSME-SE). The BCIP was created to bolster innovation in Canada’s business sector and supports the federal commitment to bridge the pre-commercialization gap for innovative goods and/or services by supporting Canada’s pre-commercial Innovation readiness and by providing Innovators with the opportunity to enter the marketplace with a successful application of their new good and/or service.