Colin Franklin

Colin Athol Franklin, CM, FRSC is an engineer and a leading pioneer in Canada's space programme. He played a leading role in the design, construction and application of Canada's first satellite, the Alouette. His extensive work and contribution to Canadian research and industrial development activities in space-related research and manufacturing, have been a significant influence in establishing Canada as a world leader in these fields.

Early life and education Colin Franklin was born in Hastings, New Zealand, in 1927. He was a Physics lecturer at Auckland University in 1952 and a member of the Scientific Defence Corps, Royal New Zealand Air Force from 1953 to 1959. designated by the Centennial Engineering Board of Canada in January 1987 as one of the ten most outstanding achievements of Canadian engineering of the past 100 years. He was subsequently chief engineer for the ISIS series of scientific satellites and head of the Space Electronics Laboratory at DRTE. and from 1970 to 1975 was Project manager for the communications technology satellite Hermes. From 1990 to 1992 he was Chief Scientist at Spar Aerospace Ltd at Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Quebec. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and Fellow of the City and Guilds Institute of London. He was the 1996 recipient of the annual Alouette Award from the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute. In 1994, on the 50th anniversary of the IEEE, Ottawa Section, he received the IEEE "Pioneers in Technology" Award for "Leadership in the establishment of Canada's satellite program". The Award is the ultimate recognition of the individuals behind the Canadian Space program. The Award highlights an outstanding achievement, its socio-economic benefits and the recipient's merits.

In 1995 he was a member of the Canadian Space Agency's Blue Ribbon Review Team for Radarsat-1. as well as the IEEE Canada McNaughton Gold Medal.