Craig Bamford

Craig started writing for SpaceQ in 2017 as their space culture reporter, shifting to Canadian business and startup reporting in 2019. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists, and has a Master's Degree in International Security from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. He lives in Toronto.

Spire Global Satellites Will Host Three GHGSat Payloads

Spire Global 16U satellite platform

GHGSat has signed a deal with Spire Global to host at least three methane-tracking payloads. The deal, announced at the World Satellite Business Week, will have GHGSat move away (at least partially) from their previous strategy of owning their own satellites, and shift towards putting payloads onto Spire satellites. Spire will be launching three 16U satellites in 2023 that will each carry one of GHGSat’s payloads.

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Firefly’s New Transformative Leadership

The Firefly Reaver engine being tested.

After nearly a year, Firefly Aerospace is slated to finally make their second launch attempt of a their Alpha rocket. Originally scheduled for July 17th, their new mission, “To the Black,” is scheduled to launch Sunday, September 11th. It isn’t just a new rocket; in many ways, it’s a whole new Firefly, one that might be on the cusp of radical transformation. This page is …

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Magellan Aerospace Continuing Quiet Development of MAPLE Lunar Penetrator

Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program

Back in 2020, the Canadian Space Agency announced a variety of contracts focused on lunar exploration as part of the Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP). These contracts, the Lunar Surface Autonomous Science Payloads (LSASP), were focused on developing payloads, instruments and/or subsystems that involve "highly visible science mission enabling capabilities." This page is for subscribers only. Already a subscriber? Log in. Fact-driven space news, columns, …

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Maritime Launch Services Completes Preliminary Design Review, Construction Imminent

MLSI begins initial roadwork to gather soil and rock data for their design team

Maritime Launch Services (MLS) has just concluded the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for Spaceport Nova Scotia. The spaceport, when completed, would be Canada’s first active launch site in decades, its only current orbital launch site, and one of the few commercial launch sites in the world. This PDR is an important step in making that happen. This page is for subscribers only. Already a subscriber? …

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CSA STRATOS balloon program makes Timmins a scientific hub

High school students from the Timmins area participating in the STRATOS 2022 campaign, posing in front of the balloon containing their experiments

While low Earth orbit SmallSats are having a revolutionary effect on Earth observation, other approaches based on other technologies, like stratospheric balloons, have a role to play as well. At a media availability day on August 18, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) discussed the stratospheric balloon program (STRATOS) and the balloons’ important scientific and expanding role, and its value to the Timmins’ community. 

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