[Satellite TODAY 05-23-11]  MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) has signed contract amendments with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) for the design phase of the Radarsat Constellation Mission (RCM), the company announced May 19.

     The value of the latest amendments totals C$35.9 Million ($37.06 million) and brings the contract value for the design phase to C$123 Million ($126.97 million). The amendments involve developing the detailed design of the RCM and all of its subsystems, and is the precursor to the build phase. MDA has been working on this contract under an authorization to proceed since mid-March.