In 1958 the DRB sent a proposal to NASA to launch a "topside sounder", which would take measurements of the Earth's ionosphere from space. This was a topic of some importance at the time; the DRB was conducting a major ionospheric research program in order to build a very-long-distance communications system (which would later be used on the Mid-Canada Line and DEW Line). The various US agencies that commented on the system were highly sceptical that the DRB could build such a device, but suggested they do so anyway as a backup to their own much simpler design. In the end the US design ran into lengthy delays, and the "too advanced" Canadian design was eventually launched in 1962 as Alouette I.