SpaceQ Space news and analysis.
The federal government released its 2023 budget today that earmarks additional funding for its Moon program as well funding its commitment to the International Space Station. The Canadian Space Agency budget for its 2023-24 fiscal year starting April 1 has grown to $537.4 million due in part to the additional funds.
Here’s what the budget says in a section titled Supporting Canadian Leadership in Space in on page 110.
For decades, Canada’s participation in the International Space Station has helped to fuel important scientific advances, and showcased Canada’s ability to create leading-edge space technologies, such as Canadarm2. Canadian space technologies have inspired advances in other fields, such as the NeuroArm, the world’s first robot capable of operating inside an MRI, making previously impossible surgeries possible.
- Budget 2023 proposes to provide $1.1 billion over 14 years, starting in 2023-24, on a cash basis, to the Canadian Space Agency to continue Canada’s participation in the International Space Station until 2030.
Looking forward, humanity is returning to the moon. Canada intends to join these efforts by contributing a robotic lunar utility vehicle to perform key activities in support of human lunar exploration. Canadian participation in the NASA-led Lunar Gateway station—a space station that will orbit the moon—also presents new opportunities for innovative advances in science and technology. Canada is providing Canadarm3 to the Lunar Gateway, and a Canadian astronaut will join Artemis II, the first crewed mission to the moon since 1972. In Budget 2023, the government is providing further support to assist these missions.
- Budget 2023 proposes to provide $1.2 billion over 13 years, starting in 2024-25, to the Canadian Space Agency to develop and contribute a lunar utility vehicle to assist astronauts on the moon.
- Budget 2023 proposes to provide $150 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to the Canadian Space Agency for the next phase of the Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program to support the Canada’s world-class space industry and help accelerate the development of new technologies.
- Budget 2023 also proposes to provide $76.5 million over eight years, starting in 2023-24, on a cash basis, to the Canadian Space Agency in support of Canadian science on the Lunar Gateway station.
It should be noted that the federal government committed $2.05 billion over 24 years in 2019 when it first announced the Moon program. At the time we went to press it was unclear how much of today’s announced funding is new versus what had previously committed. When we get a reply to our inquiry we will of course provide an update on this developing this story.
