News

The Canadian Space Agency announced this morning that Prime Minister Trudeau will announce Canada’s next two astronauts at Canada Day festivities in Ottawa as the nation celebrates 150 years of confederation.

MDA, which had announced in early May the creation of Space Infrastructure Services (SIS) to handle its nascent satellite servicing business, today announced that Finance Technology Leverage LLC would take a majority stake in SIS and that global satellite communications company SES would be its first customer.

Shareholders of Norsat have approved the sale of the company to China’s Hytera yesterday at their adjourned 2017 annual general and special meeting of securityholders. For the sale to be approved 66.67% was needing from shareholders and securityholders.

My guest for episode 3 is Jessica West who is the Project Manager for the annual Space Security Index published by Project Ploughshares.

Why is the sale of Norsat all of a sudden become political fodder for the opposition parties? It’s simple really, everything is political when you’re dealing with China and a Liberal government that wants to further engage China. Add in American politics, the U.S military and you’re fuelling the political fire. But is there substance to the opposition outcry regarding the deal?

Canada’s new space strategy will not be unveiled this month as previously expected, but will be delayed until later this summer or early fall, multiple sources tell SpaceQ.

On January 14th of this year, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, launched the first 10 satellites of the Iridium Next satellite constellation. This coming Sunday another SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch, with the next 10 satellites in the constellation to be deployed.

The Canadian Space Agency has released the third video of a three part series of videos where five of the remaining astronaut candidates share their thoughts on the inspiration that made them dream of becoming an astronaut and to pursue that dream.

My guest for episode 2 is Aram Kerkonian, a lawyer from Ontario, studying a masters in law and a research assistant of the Institute of Air and Space Law at McGill University and the co-author of the recently completed Independent Review of the Remote Sensing Space Systems Act.

I read the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada press release and then I read the report (which is a converted powerpoint presentation). In reading both I couldn’t help but think this report is all about the ‘aero’ portion of the aerospace industry and that the space sector was lost in aerospace.