On Feb. 3 the Space Foundation hosted a virtual session on the State of Space in 2022 which included Canadian Space Agency (CSA) President Lisa Campbell on the international perspective.
The format was in the form of a one-on-one Q&A with each speaker. Guests were provided topic questions ahead of time.
The other guests included Eric Stallmer, Executive Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy, Voyager Space; Dr. Janet Kavandi, President, Sierra Space; Peter Beck, Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Engineer, Rocket Lab; and Christopher T.W. Kunstadter, Global Head of Space, AXA XL each of whom brought a different perspective from the space sector including defence, civil space, industry, investment to the insurance communities.
I won’t spend much time of what other guest speakers said beyond Lisa Campbell, except to say a recurring theme was the challenge to find and “hold onto talent.” This is great for those seeking employment but points to a shortage of skilled people in the industry.
Lisa Campbell was interviewed by Steve Eisenhart, the long-time Senior Vice President, Strategic and International Affairs at the Space Foundation.
Miss Campbell’s answers resembled many previous public appearances, well spoken but sticking to her scripted speaking points and delivering the government of Canada themes. While Miss Campbell is clearly capable of articulating speaking points, each appearance seems, well, too scripted. Miss Campbell has been on the job for nearly a year and half so she should be comfortable with the inner workings of the CSA and subject matter at hand. It would be great to see Miss Campbell answer questions in a less scripted manner, providing some real “colour” on topics.
Here’s the transcript of the Q&A with Lisa Campbell with some observations.
Steve Eisenhart – “Lisa, to start things off, from your perspective, how do you see the State of Space in 2022?”
Lisa Campbell – “Well, it’s wonderful to be here and great to see you as well. It’s a really exciting time to be in the space program. We’ve been making tremendous advances in science and technology. Industries trailblazing with new space and commercial activities, and governments continue to be anchor clients with significant mission opportunities. I expect activities in 2022 to continue on this track. It’s important to keep in mind we’re in an unpredictable situation with the evolving nature of the pandemic. And although the space sector has been very resilient, there are obviously human and supply chain impacts, we’re hopeful 2022 will bring a more predictable operating environment. Overall, global space is experiencing exponential growth. The number of space actors and the demand for space services is expected to grow faster than ever before. And I’m sure you’ve heard the forecast that the global space economy is expected to reach over 1 trillion by 2040. This means that space will contribute even more towards gross domestic product, and that we’ll see more high quality jobs in key STEM areas around the world. New markets will emerge along with growing economic opportunities that will push the boundaries of what space technology currently offers.”
A couple of notes on Miss Campbell’s answer.
- Speaking on an aggregate global perspective, this answer seems appropriate. However, the State of Space is not equally rosy everywhere. Looking at Canada there are some opportunities for lunar missions and the government has been a supporter of Telesat’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation and its supply chain. The federal government has also invested in GHGSat and NorthStar Earth & Space constellations. However, I would disagree that there are “significant mission opportunities” in Canada. That’s just not the case. The recently released Canadian Strategy for Satellite Earth Observation was underwhelming. It will be telling come budget time if any funds are allocated to this strategy.
- While the global space sector is seeing exponential growth, that’s not the case in Canada. Just today, the Canadian Space Agency released its State of the Canadian Space Sector 2020 which uses data from 2019. By its own data, space sector growth in Canada is flat. We’ll have a full analysis of the report soon.
Steve Eisenhart – “And as you look ahead what do you think might be the biggest challenges facing the operating environment that will require really the most of your attention and resources to address?”
Lisa Campbell – “The space sector is changing rapidly and we need to adapt quickly. For instance, there are more players in space than ever. This has been phenomenal for increasing and diversifying opportunities in the space sector. Investments in digitization during the pandemic have also made work arrangements more flexible, in space organizations are competing for talent. That’s why we’re so focused on creating a strong culture where the well being of people at the Canadian Space Agency is our top priority. Ensuring they’re well supported, motivated and happy is paramount to ensuring our success. Our brilliant team who innovate and accomplish extraordinary missions are central to Canada’s space program. Another area making waves is the growing number of small companies and startups entering the space market. These organizations are full of energy and ambition, and their innovations are sought after around the world. So we’re leveraging our infrastructure, our scientific data and our expertise to support this momentum. All to say, these challenges are really more opportunities for us to adapt and take things to the next level. We want to continue to make Canada a great place to work and conduct business in the space sector, and export to the world more of what Canada has to offer.”
Steve Eisenhart – “So last year saw a number of high profile events that drew a lot of public attention to space. I was wondering what do you feel is the one issue or condition that is not getting the public attention it deserves?”
Lisa Campbell – “How space science and technologies help us here on Earth. An example of this as a tremendous utility satellite Earth observation. It’s increasingly fundamental to our daily lives and also to our future. We’re increasingly reliant on space technologies for climate action, precision agriculture, maritime surveillance and more. More than ever, we need the perspective of space to help solve important challenges on Earth like climate change. From space, we can see the big picture of our land, waters and atmosphere and how they interact and change over time. Space data supports cutting edge science here on Earth, it helps us understand how our planet works. We’re raising the profile of satellite Earth observation and on January 20, we announced our Canadian strategy for satellites through observation. Our strategy outlines how Canada will take full advantage of the unique vantage point of space to address challenges of our time, and frames are work this domain for the next decade.”
Raising the profile is a good step but the new strategy lacks lacks a plan and funding. The strategy’s catchphrase is:
- RESOURCEFUL in using domestic and international satellite data across all economic sectors to increase productivity, drive efficiencies, and ignite innovation.
- RESILIENT in adapting to our changing climate, from the international to the local scale, with the best science- based evidence for effective decision making.
- READY to respond to environmental, national security, public safety, and health challenges, with timely information, modern infrastructure, and a next-generation workforce.
It’s the READY where Canada gets an D grade, verging on an F. Canada relies too heavily on data from satellites of other nations. And its flagship satellite program, the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) launched in 2019 has a design life of 7 years. The project which was conceived of in 2004 was oft delayed. Currently the Department of National Defence is worried that without a plan in place to replace the constellation, Canada might have a data gap of several years from the time new satellites are deployed, should any RCM satellites fail. Other than the three RCM satellites, Canada has only one other Earth observation satellite, SciSat which is well beyond its design life having been launched in 2003.
Steve Eisenhart – “In the space industry, we find that everything is done with partners and I’d be curious who you feel that key stakeholder or partner that your organization needs to achieve success next year?”
Lisa Campbell – “That’s a great question, Steve. We’re part of a vibrant space ecosystem in Canada and globally. Scientists, companies and international counterparts. Reality is we need to work with all of our partners in order to achieve our goals. We need scientists to make breakthroughs in their fields. We need industry to take technologies to the next level and commercialize it. We need international partners to advance common priorities and missions, and the broader international space community to come together on rules of engagement and space. We all have a part to play, and it’s the people within these organizations that matter. Space is complex and expensive. With more players in space now than ever before, it’s important for us to collaborate and not duplicate. We also need to work together to ensure that space remains safe and sustainable for the long term. Advancing efforts like those United Nations to implement sustainability guidelines and reduce space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behavior are paramount. It’s also important that our industry and scientific communities build relationships with one another on an international scale. I’m currently vice president of agency relations and global membership at the International Astronautical Federation. Part of my goal is to bring more diversity into the IAF so that we can welcome new players into the global space community, build new partnerships, and leverage one another’s expertise for the greater good of humanity.”
Steve Eisenhart – “And finally, you know, a number of things coming up over the next several months, what is the the one mission or event that you and your organization are most looking forward to?”
Lisa Campbell – “There’s so much to look forward to this year with the rest of the world, we’re pretty excited about seeing the first images and data from the James Webb Space Telescope. It’s the most complex and powerful space telescope ever built, which is an outstanding accomplishment. Canada is so proud to be part of it. The first data that we receive will be a special moment worldwide, because it’s a symbol of how far we’ve come. And a sign of all the exciting discoveries that are ahead of us. My colleagues and I are equally excited about the Artemis 1 mission, because it means that the next phase of space exploration is upon us. This will set the stage for the Artemis 2 mission, which will include a Canadian astronaut, and that’ll be a very important moment in Canadian space history.”
Updated 1:30 pm ET – The story has been updated to reflect that the Space Foundation did indeed provide guests with topical questions ahead of time.