Editor’s Note
Welcome to the eighth briefing of In Defence of Canada.
Canada’s institutional policies are colliding with operational realities in orbit. A newly released CSIS report on China’s satellite maneuverability makes it clear: our strategic competitors are not waiting for our procurement cycles to catch up. As adversaries deploy “norm-shattering” satellites in geosynchronous orbit, the timeline to establish robust Space Domain Awareness is shrinking rapidly.
Ottawa is making structural moves to respond. Elevating the Defence Investment Agency (DIA) to an independent department will help bypass bottlenecks and accelerate acquisitions. But these shifts require technological backing. This week, we lead with the government’s upcoming Nuclear Energy Strategy. The $40 million allocated for defence microreactors is critical dual-use infrastructure, necessary to power deep-space mobility and Arctic early-warning outposts.
The commercial space sector is also outpacing high-level policy. Critics note Canada’s new Defence Industrial Strategy lacks a cohesive Indo-Pacific focus, but the industry is already building those bridges. From recent space agreements with South Korea and Japan to EarthDaily’s integration into the U.S. Space Intelligence Council, Canadian firms are getting more visibility on a global stage.
As the sector gathers next week for the Canadian Space Launch Conference, the mandate is clear: some of the technology is ready, the threat is present, and the procurement frameworks need to deliver.
Marc Boucher
Editor-in-Chief
SpaceQ Media Inc.
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The Lead
As the Department of National Defence (DND) advances its modernization of northern infrastructure and Space Domain Awareness (SDA) networks, a fundamental logistical challenge remains: generating reliable, off-grid power in remote environments.
The federal government’s upcoming Nuclear Energy Strategy directly addresses this gap. Recent policy outlines indicate the strategy will include a $40 million allocation specifically for the development of defence-oriented nuclear microreactors. While this funding falls nominally under energy and climate policy, it represents a significant dual-use procurement signal for the Canadian space and defence industrial base.
The operational requirements for the High North and deep space overlap considerably. Both domains demand autonomous, highly reliable, and scalable power sources that operate independently of fragile diesel supply chains or intermittent solar generation. As DND prepares to deploy advanced Over-the-Horizon Radar (OTHR) systems and modernized satellite uplink stations as part of its NORAD modernization plan, the energy demands of these sensor networks will far exceed legacy capabilities.
Space-grade microreactors offer a practical architectural solution. Canadian space firms are already prototyping compact nuclear power systems for lunar surface operations and orbital applications. By investing $40 million into this domestic supply chain, Ottawa is leveraging commercial space innovation to solve hard military requirements. The engineering required to sustain a presence on the Moon is proving directly applicable to powering the sensor grids that secure Canada’s northern borders.
Read our story of the upcoming Nuclear Energy Strategy at SpaceQ
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Feature Analysis: Decoding China’s “New Rhythms” in Geosynchronous Orbit
As Canada works to formalize its space defence architecture, a newly released report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Aerospace Security Project provides a quantitative look at the evolving landscape in geosynchronous orbit (GEO).
Authored by Madeleine Chang, New Rhythms in GEO analyzes open-source positional data of Chinese satellites from 2016 through July 2025. The data confirms that while the vast majority of China’s GEO fleet remains static, a highly capable subset of spacecraft is actively maneuvering across the orbital belt.
The Anatomy of the “Top Movers”
The CSIS algorithm revealed that 86 percent of Chinese GEO satellites did not execute any longitudinal shift maneuvers during the nine-year study. However, an elite subset of eight active satellites performed three or more discrete maneuvers, placing them in the most active 10 percent of the fleet.
Crucially, CSIS categorized these “frequent movers” into four distinct behavioural profiles:
The Larks: These satellites represent standard operational shifts, occasionally moving to service different regions or adjust to user demand, typical of standard communications platforms like ChinaSat-20A.
The Skyliners: Engaging in a high-altitude game of “hide and seek,” these satellites (such as SJ-17, TJS-3, and SJ-20) demonstrate rapid longitudinal shifts and loitering behaviors. Their movements mirror the espionage tactics of Russia’s Luch satellites, positioning themselves to potentially intercept unencrypted command data from Western targets.
The Drifters: Unprecedented in GEO, these satellites execute slow, constant sweeps back and forth across set longitudinal bands over Asia without ever station-keeping. Experts suggest this alternating drift pattern is likely utilized for massive-scale intelligence gathering or space situational awareness.
The Ink Spots: Defining a new era of on-orbit logistics, the recently launched SJ-25 satellite exhibited erratic, non-station-keeping behavior before executing a rapid rendezvous with SJ-21 in June 2025. This event marks what may be the first instance of a Chinese satellite refuelling another spacecraft in orbit, unlocking new capabilities for life extension and sustained maneuverability.
The Procurement Engine Behind the Threat
The report also highlights the industrial base driving this capability. All the highly maneuverable satellites identified were manufactured by two subsidiaries of the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC): the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST)
Operating under a system of “managed competition” designed to accelerate innovation, these two entities are rapidly advancing orbital maneuverability. Notably, every top-mover satellite developed by SAST has successfully demonstrated Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPOs).
For allied Space Domain Awareness (SDA) networks—including Canada’s contributions through NORAD—the CSIS data provides a clear baseline for tracking these maneuvering assets in orbit.
Tactical Briefs
Spring Economic Update Elevates Defence Investment Agency: In a structural shift for military procurement, the government’s Spring Economic Update will officially separate the Defence Investment Agency (DIA) into an independent, standalone department. Previously housed within DND and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), the new independent DIA is designed to cut bureaucratic red tape, accelerate capital acquisitions, and provide direct accountability for multi-billion-dollar procurements, including future space and cyber architectures. Read about the DIA’s structural elevation at SpaceQ
Government Abruptly Terminates $72M WildFireSat Contract: In a surprising procurement reversal, the Government of Canada has terminated Spire Global Canada’s contract to design and develop the WildFireSat constellation “for convenience.” The $71.8 million Phase B and C contract was intended to deliver a 10-satellite remote sensing network by 2029. Read the full report on the WildFireSat termination at SpaceQ
CSMC Secures $5M from Alberta for Prototype Microreactor: The Canadian Space Mining Corporation (CSMC) has been awarded $5 million from the Government of Alberta to develop a prototype microreactor at the University of Alberta. This provincial funding directly complements the federal push for off-grid power solutions. For the defence sector, CSMC’s rapid prototyping of space-grade nuclear technology provides a clear, domestic pathway for fielding autonomous power sources at remote early-warning outposts and northern bases. Read the details of CSMC’s provincial funding at SpaceQ
EarthDaily Federal Appointed to U.S. Space Intelligence Council: EarthDaily Federal, the U.S. subsidiary of Vancouver-based EarthDaily Analytics, has been appointed to the U.S. Space Intelligence Council. As the company continues the rollout of its next-generation Earth observation constellation, this appointment highlights the deep integration of Canadian commercial remote sensing into the highest echelons of allied intelligence and targeting architectures. Read about EarthDaily’s strategic appointment at SpaceQ
Industry Prepares for the Canadian Space Launch Conference: Next week, key stakeholders from government, DND, and the commercial sector will convene at the Canadian Space Launch Conference. With the tabling of the Canadian Space Launch Act (Bill C-28) and the recent $200M military lease at Spaceport Nova Scotia, the conference will serve as the primary forum for mapping the regulatory and operational next steps for Canada’s sovereign launch sector. SpaceQ’s Elizabeth Howell be there to cover the event. Learn more about the upcoming Space Launch Conference
Global Watch
Trump Nominates Schiess to Lead Space Force: President Trump has nominated Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess to succeed Gen. Chance Saltzman as the next Chief of Space Operations. The leadership transition comes at a critical juncture for the U.S. Space Force, which is actively pivoting from a support-oriented branch toward a mature warfighting organization focused on orbital maneuver, dynamic operations, and counter-space campaigning. Read the full report at Air & Space Forces Magazine
Pentagon Details Space Strategy in $1.45T Budget: The Pentagon has released the funding strategy behind the administration’s proposed $1.45 trillion defense budget. A major focal point of the massive spending package is the rapid acceleration of the Space Force’s multi-orbit communications and data transport architecture. The budget signals a heavier reliance on commercial space integration to fulfill secure tactical communications and high-throughput data transport requirements for allied missile defense systems. Read the budget breakdown at SpaceNews
Russia Cloaks Launch Manifest Amid Ukrainian Targeting: In a stark reminder that space capabilities are fundamentally tied to terrestrial vulnerabilities, Russia has begun actively cloaking its orbital launch schedule. The decision follows intelligence that Ukraine is increasingly targeting Russian spaceports and launch infrastructure, forcing Moscow to treat its launch manifests as classified operational intelligence rather than routine civil aerospace activities. Read the analysis at Ars Technica
USSF Awards Contracts for GEO Threat Warning Radars: The Space Rapid Capabilities Office (Space RCO), partnering with SpaceWERX, has awarded three initial $3 million contracts to develop radar warning receivers for future highly maneuverable satellites in geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO). The sensors are designed to detect emissions from ground-based tracking radars, providing critical space domain awareness and threat-warning capabilities to the Space Force’s next-generation “neighborhood watch” satellites. Read about the GEO payload contracts at Breaking Defense
Eastern Range Shatters 60-Year Launch Tempo Record: In a testament to the staggering pace of commercial and military launch operations, Space Launch Delta 45 broke a six-decade-old record in April 2026 by supporting five distinct types of orbital launch vehicles from the Eastern Range in a single month. Supporting launches from SpaceX, ULA, NASA, and Blue Origin, the milestone highlights the U.S. military’s heavy and growing reliance on a booming, diverse commercial space sector to maintain its rapid operational tempo. Read about the historic launch record at Space Explored
French Space Command Concludes ‘SparteX 2026’ Military Exercise: France has successfully concluded the sixth edition of its premier military space exercise, newly renamed SparteX (Space Readiness and Training eXercice), replacing the former AsterX moniker. Coordinated with joint-forces exercises, SparteX 2026 simulated 28 complex space events across all orbits to test the interoperability of allied space command and control structures. The exercise included 200 participants and deeply integrated allied forces, including Guardians from the U.S. Space Force’s 57th Space Aggressor Squadron, highlighting France’s push to solidify multi-national space domain awareness and threat response. Read the official release at the French Space Command
Guest Opinion: The Indo-Pacific Gap in Canada’s Defence Strategy
As the Canadian space and defence industrial base matures, companies are increasingly looking to export their dual-use technologies to allied markets. But is Ottawa’s strategic framework keeping pace with where the industry is actually heading?
In a recent commentary published by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada on April 27, Vina Nadjibulla, the organization’s Vice-President of Research, examines the geopolitical posture of the federal government. While she praises the government’s pragmatic, economically focused approach to the Indo-Pacific, Nadjibulla points out a glaring blind spot in how Ottawa aligns its defence procurement with its foreign policy.
Specifically, she argues that Canada’s new Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) is disjointed from the reality of the Indo-Pacific threat landscape:
“That should include a more serious Indo-Pacific dimension in Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy. It makes little sense for Canada to talk about stronger defence partnerships in the Indo-Pacific while concentrating industrial cooperation almost exclusively on NATO partners.”
For the Canadian space sector, this critique highlights a fascinating disconnect between high-level policy and on-the-ground reality. While the text of the DIS may lean heavily on NATO, Canada’s space and domain awareness sectors are already actively building the exact Indo-Pacific bridges Nadjibulla is calling for.
Recent bilateral moves demonstrate this pivot clearly. Ottawa has recently signed a dedicated space cooperation agreement with South Korea, formalized a shift toward dual-use space and defence tech with Japan, and partnered closely with Australia on advanced Over-the-Horizon Radar (OTHR) technology.
Nadjibulla’s critique serves as a necessary warning for policymakers: if Canada wants to scale its domestic industrial capacity, the formal mechanisms of the Defence Industrial Strategy must evolve to support the Indo-Pacific reality the space sector is already executing.
Read the full analysis on Canada’s Indo-Pacific statecraft at the Asia Pacific Foundation
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