Friday / 3 June 2022

Businesses Develop Moon Infrastructure Technology with Canadian Space Agency Support

CSA-ASC funding 5 companies to advance Lunar Surface Exploration Initiative with 7 studies (~US$200K/ea, $1.4M total) on agricultural science, avionics/comms, mining/ISRU, power; Canadensys (Bolton ON) to study lunar greenhouse, modular rover concepts; MDA (Brampton ON) to study nuclear power generation, autonomous robots / rovers; MPB Communications (Pointe-Claire QC) to study Earth-Moon optical comms, Canadian Space Mining Corporation (Toronto ON) to study lunar prospecting; Honeywell Ltd. of Canada (Ottawa ON) to study Moon surface / orbit communication network

Credits: CSA-ASC, Canadensys, MDA, MPB Communications, Honeywell, Canadian Space Mining Corporation

Friday / 6 May 2022

Canada Celebrates Space / Moon with AstroFest in Montreal While Parliament Advances Cislunar Law

Astronaut David Saint-Jacques to speak on future of Canada Moon exploration activities as first Artemis program partner at Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium, part of Space For Life Museum in Montreal 7 May; Canada to contribute Canadarm3 to Lunar Gateway, send Astronaut on Artemis 2 Moon orbit mission NET 2024; Lawmakers in Ottawa include language extending Canada legal jurisdiction to / from Gateway and lunar surface for both Canada citizenry and those of ‘Partner States’ in House of Commons bill

Credits: CSA-ASC, Ecosystem, Space For Life

Tuesday / 8 June 2021

ispace To Deploy Multiple International Space Agency Moon Rovers 2022-2026

ispace Of Japan, Under CLPS-like Contract From JAXA, To Carry Small (80mm Diameter, 250g Mass) 2-wheeled Spherical Rover To Moon; Hakuto-R Mission 1 Is Slated To Launch To Lacus Somniorum (37.56°N / 30.8°E), Possibly In Competition With USA Enterprises Astrobotic And Intuitive Machines For Historic First Private Landing On Another World; ispace Is Also Scheduled In 2022 To Deliver 10kg Rashid Rover For UAE Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, Instruments From Mission Control Space Services, Canadensys And NGC Of Canada Through US$124M Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program; CSA-ASC / NASA Rover By 2026

Credits: ispace, JAXA, CSA-ASC, UAESA

Friday / 20 Nov 2020

20th Annual Canadian Space Summit Convenes Virtually 24-27 November

Canadian Space Society (Société Spatiale Canadienne) Is Premier Space Advocacy Organization Of Canada With Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg Chapters; Canadian Space Summit 2020 Continues Mission To Inform, Educate, Engage And Shape Policy In Advancement of Human Activity In Space With Theme ‘To Lunar And Beyond’; Keynote Speakers Include (L-R) Parshati Patel Of Institute For Earth And Space Exploration, Former UN COPUOS Chair David Kendall, Kate Howells Of Planetary Society And IIAS Space Medicine Director Shawna Pandya; Montreal Student Space Associations To Give “180-Seconds To A Degree” Award Selected From Submissions Due 21 Nov

 

Credits: CSA, CSS, Twitter, Planetary Society, IIAS, WU

Friday / 6 Nov 2020

Canada Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program Announces New Opportunities, US$2.5M Awards

Canadian Space Agency LEAP Offering Capability Demonstration Funds From US$115M / 5-year Allocation; Projects Intended To Display Canada-Produced Technology Useful To International Artemis Partnership; $1.9M Already Granted To Canadensys Aerospace Of Ontario For Development And Deployment Of 360° Panoramic Lunar Surface Imager, $644,000 Awarded To NGC Aerospace For GNSS-style Moon Network Which Will Aid Precision Landing, Both Are Expected To Launch NLT April 2024; Upcoming LEAP Cycles 3 And 4 (Due 26 Feb And 27 Aug 2021, Respectively) Are To Distribute Up To $3.1M/Each

Pictured: CSA President Lisa Campbell; Credits: CSA, CSYS, NGC, NASA

Tuesday / 25 February 2020

  Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program To Encourage Canada Companies In Artemis Supply Chain

Canada Space Agency (CSA / ASC) Releases Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program Announcement Of Opportunity; LEAP AO Is Intended To Position Canada Companies In Lunar Mission Supply Chain For The 2024 Artemis Human Landing Date; LEAP Program Is Funded At US$150M With AO Funded At $13M And Individual Companies Receiving Up To $2M; Interested Commercial Enterprises Include ABB Canada, Canadensys Aerospace, Mission Control Space Services And Moon Express Canada; Letters Of Intent Are Due 20 March, With AO Due 31 Mar

Credits: CSA / ASC, Canadensys, Mission Control Space, Moon Express

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 17-20 Jan 2020

Canada Space Program Accelerates With LEAP Program And Participation In Lunar Efforts

Veteran Canada Astronaut And Former ISS Commander Chris Hadfield (L) Emphasizes International Cooperation, Says Moon Is Next Logical Step With ‘Eternal Power’ Available At Lunar Poles; Cosmologist Renee Hlozek Contributes To Discussions About The Universe; Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP) Will Award Contracts Up To US$2M To Qualifying Canada Companies; Minister Of Innovation, Science, And Economic Development Navdeep Bains (R) Says Canada Will Maintain Lead In Robotics And Space-Related Fields

Credits: CSA-ASC; Moon Express Canada

New Year 2020 Edition
Fri-Tues / 20 Dec 2019 – 7 Jan 2020

Artemis Moon Generation:
Multi-Partisan, International, Entrepreneurial

NASA Gains Funding In Bipartisan Budget For Space Launch System, Exploration Upper Stage, And Artemis Lunar Lander For First Women On The Moon In 2024; Private Companies Are Participating In Commercial Crew, Cargo, And Lunar Landers; Canada Supplying Robotic Arm For Lunar Orbit; JAXA Contributing Habitation Modules And Lunar Rover; ESA Partners Agree To Greatly Increased Budget And Providing Orion Service Modules For Artemis 1-4; Cooperation Possible From India, Russia, Crescent Moon Countries And Zhongguo (China)

Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA / CAS

Tuesday / 12 November 2019

Broad International Support For Artemis At IAC

At 70th International Astronautical Committee Meeting In Washington DC, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine Reaffirms Commitment To International Cooperation For Artemis 2024 In Meetings With Heads Of Space Agencies; IAC Emphasizes International Cooperation For Independent Commercial Spaceflight; ISS Partners Canada And Japan Are Already Committed To Participating In Lunar Program; Europe And Russia Expected To Follow With ESA Seeking To Build Lunar Orbit Modules And Cargo Lander; International Cooperation Could Include India, China, Crescent Moon Countries And Africa

Credits: Boeing, NASA, Blue Origin

Thursday / 31 October 2019

Canadensys / ILOA Agreement To Place ILO-X, ILO-1 Instruments On Moon, South Pole 2021/2022

ILOA To Sign Strategic 2-3 Year ‘Astronomy From The Moon’ Partnership Contract With Canadensys Aerospace Corporation 1 November During ILOA Annual Board Of Directors Meeting Held At CFHT HQ In Kamuela, Hawai’i; Year 1 To Complete Final Flight Build Of ILO-X Imaging Instruments For Flight On CLPS 2021 Lunar Lander, Or Adapted For Flagship ILO-1 Advanced Payload For Moon South Pole Mission 2021/22; Year 2 For Design & Development Of ILO-1 & ILO-2 Communications Instruments

Credits: Canadensys Aerospace Corp., International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA)