SpaceQ Space news and analysis.
Defence Minister Harjit S. Sajjan announced today that National Defence had awarded a contract to MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd (MDA) to deliver the Polar Epsilon 2 system. The delayed project first issued a Request for Information in late 2013.
Read More »Op-Ed – The 2016 Canadian Budget is a Start But Action Must Follow Words for the Space Sector
The Federal Budget brought a mild surprise and welcome news to the space community in that the government provided a specific funding dollar amount to sustain Canada’s contribution to the International Space Station (ISS) through 2024. The previous government had committed Canada to participating in the ISS through 2024, but had yet to allocate funds to make it happen.
Read More »What You Need to Know About the Budget and Canada’s Space Program
Today’s budget had a little surprise in it. It not only mentioned space, it allocated money for two specific uses.
Read More »RADARSAT Constellation Mission First Two Payload Modules Structure Delivered by Magellan Aerospace
Magellan Aerospace announced today it has delivered the first two payload modules structure to MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA), the prime contractor for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM).
Read More »UPDATED: Canadian 2015 Budget Includes New Space Funding and Space Station Extension
Today’s federal budget included a few surprises for Canada’s space program. The space sector had become accustomed to expecting little or no mention in the annual budget. Perhaps as this is an election budget, the government wanted to cover all its bases.
Read More »An Overview of Canadian Military Space in 2014 – Part 2
This is part 2 of An Overview of Canadian Military Space in 2014. Part 1 is available here.
Read More »An Overview of Canadian Military Space in 2014 – Part 1
Arguably 2014 was a watershed year in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) military space program. Up until this year the military space program was focused on delivering capability that could be used by the Navy, Army and Air Force as joint force enablers but rarely were those capabilities tightly integrated into operations, nor were they exploited to their maximum advantage. To do so requires a …
Read More »The Transformation of MDA Into a Multinational Player – Part 1
In 2007 MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) made the assessment that the domestic space market wasn’t growing and that there was no long-term commitment to space by the Conservative government. As well, access to the U.S. market, critical for growth, was being stymied by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and security issues. At the same time MDA’s Information Products group was growing …
Read More »Would a Liberal Government Reform the Canadian Space Program?
Parliament has adjourned for the summer and members of parliament (MP) are back in their ridings doing the summer BBQ circuit. But when they get back in the fall they’ll be in full election mode. So this seems an appropriate time as any to look ahead and gaze into my crystal ball and see what would happen if the Liberal’s were elected.
Read More »SpaceX Falcon 9 to Launch RADARSAT Constellation Mission in 2018
MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) has contracted SpaceX to launch Canada’s RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM), which consists of three satellites, on a Falcon 9 rocket sometime in 2018.
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