Policy

A group of Canadian astronauts expressed their support Friday for a space strategy to direct Canada’s goals in space, days after a coalition of organizations banded together to ask government for clarity quickly.

There’s good news and bad news in a new poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs for the Don’t Let Go Canada Coalition. Canadians are largely ignorant of how the space program affects their lives, but proud of what they are aware of.

A new coalition of organizations looking to convince the government of the value of investing in Canada’s space program began what will be a major marketing campaign today. The campaign is called Don’t Let Go Canada.

Canada’s new model policy on scientific integrity likely won’t change government scientist communications with the media to a great degree, according to multiple government experts interviewed by SpaceQ.

The Canadian Space Society (CSS) is moving forward with implementing a Space Policy Committee which was part of a strategic plan developed in 2017.

Although it started with an objection, the 61st meeting of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) reaffirmed the role of the Committee as a unique venue where member States and Observers may inform, learn, express appreciation, voice concern and simply come together to discuss particular issues and raise aspirational bars regarding the exploration and use of space.

The international space community gathered from 18-21 June in Vienna, Austria to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first global Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE).

Canada’s mining sector is in need of a long term plan to maintain Canada’s leading position in the industry as well as prepare for the future. That’s what provincial and federal ministers agreed to last summer. That plan is called the Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan (CMMP) and consultations are ongoing.

While there is no definitive date as to when a new Canadian space strategy will be released, Minister Bains made the comment last Friday, which was reported by the Canadian Press, that the new strategy would be released “in the coming months”.

The RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) data policy is a work in progress and is not yet set. That’s one of the messages that Jill Smyth of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) discussed at the CASI ASTRO 18 conference.