The team will also use the Argos Satellite Navigation System, allowing the outside world to monitor their progress. Telesat Canada's Sarsat weather satellite serves as a backup. The three satellites are necessary to provide communications capability. A group of 90 environmental studies students developed the idea for interactively participating in the trip and approached school authorities for help in putting their plan into action. They solicited funding from private sector sources and initiated a new partnership arrangement with businesses, governments, universities and research facilities.
Confederation serves as the communications headquarters for the expedition.
The areas of curriculum development in the project range from environmental studies to arts, astronomy, communications, ecology, geography, history, mathematics, biology, sociology, archeology, nutrition, space, weather and psychology. Each school site received a resource kit courtesy of Sony Canada. Students in elementary, intermediate, and secondary schools at remote locations will be able to ask questions directly of the explorers and the expert pool. Questions will be filtered and directed to the appropriate resource by Confederation students. Responses are returned via the Internet to international locations, and by SchoolNet to sites across Canada.