The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has awarded MDA two contracts related to the NASA led Lunar Gateway project which is part of the greater Artemis moon program.
The contrast are a result of the Deep Space Exploration Robotics (DSXR) request for proposals the CSA had posted in April of this year.
The DSXR initiative includes two Gateway External Robotic Interfaces. They include an “exploration large arm” (XLA) and an “exploration dexterous arm” (XDA).
The first contract is for the development of robotic interfaces for the “exploration large arm” and is valued at $3,292,136.66.
The second contract, also for the development of robotic interfaces, is for the “exploration dexterous arm” and is valued at $4,598,971.26.
The Phase A work builds on the heritage of robotics MDA developed for the Canadarm on the Space Shuttles, and the Canadarm2 and Dextre on the International Space Station.
The new Canadarm3 program will take robotic tools to another level, merging cutting edge robotic hardware with Artificial Intelligence software.
It is very exciting to see Canada’s role in this new space race. Hopefully we can contribute more to this program, both in terms of technology and science.