Canada looks to commercial opportunities in Low Earth Orbit, exploration of the lunar orbit and surface

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) that covers a wide breadth of potential opportunities including for commercial Low Earth Orbit destinations and exploration of the Lunar surface and orbit. The RFI serves to collect "opinions and ideas" and gage interest for "future procurement needs" in the what they classify as space exploration. Stakeholder input will have an impact on the CSA's strategic planning, though they say that it "does not imply future budgetary commitments by the CSA or the Government of Canada." That last statement is usual for these types of consultations. But make no mistake about it, from the stakeholder perspective, active participation is critical if they want the government to consider their ideas. The CSA has provided three broad areas for stakeholder consideration. They are; Firstly, on Canadian industry’s interest both in taking part in and capacity to supply and support future plans and developments in different areas of space exploration.Secondly, on the needs, requirements and perspectives of Canadian organizations, suppliers or individuals with regards to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) utilization for science investigations, technology development and demonstration, and other uses of LEO for commercial or scientific purposes.Thirdly, on potential future investments and procurement needs related to Lunar Surface and Orbit Exploration. Here's the supplied background from the CSA for the RFI; "In January 2022, NASA announced its intention to extend its participation in the ISS until 2030. The other ISS partners are now in the process of seeking their respective government approvals to do the same However, this decision is fundamentally different than previous ISS extensions, as NASA has also announced that the ISS will be retired subsequently, with a transition to commercial destinations in LEO. This transition is currently under way as NASA has already awarded funding to several U.S. consortia to advance their respective commercial space station concepts in December 2021. NASA’s goal is to establish access to commercial human destinations in LEO before the ISS is decommissioned after 2030." "In addition to the intended shift towards a sustainable commercial economy in LEO, the ISS partners are now focusing their efforts on exploration in deep space. While partners will continue to maintain the ISS to end-of-life, institutional planning and new investments are clearly being positioned towards lunar orbit and the lunar surface. As such, decisions that Canada makes in relation to extending its participation in the ISS to 2030 will be as much about the future of its human spaceflight and space exploration programs as they will be about its participation in the ISS and how it will engage and position itself in a commercial LEO environment." "Fortunately, recent space exploration decisions and investments (including extending participation in the ISS to 2024, formalizing participation in the U.S.-led Lunar Gateway, establishing the Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP), and signing the Artemis Accords) have established a strong foundation and clear trajectory for maintaining Canada as a key space exploration partner." "In alignment with the above, the CSA recently commenced the Lunar Surface Exploration Initiative (LSEI) to define potential opportunities for Canadian participation in an international space exploration campaign that will explore the Moon, establish a sustained human presence on the lunar surface and plan ahead for future Mars exploration. As part of the LSEI, the CSA is seeking innovative concepts for future Canadian contributions beyond Gateway and beyond LEAP, which provide critical capabilities, on the flagship level, in support of common international goals and objectives related to lunar surface exploration. It should be noted that the CSA is also consulting with the Canadian scientific community on space exploration science priorities via its upcoming Canadian Space Exploration Workshop (CSEW 2022)." Download or read the RFI below