Tag Archives: Space Technology Development Program

In the past week the Liberal government has admittedly stepped up and committed Canada to a new space strategy, and backed it up with over $2 billion in new funding. Is it really as big a commitment as it seems? Yes and no, the explanation is as follows.

There are 13 Canadian commercial satellite constellations in development with 384 planned satellites and five satellites already on-orbit.

In today’s article, the fourth in this weeks series on What’s in Canada’s Long Term Space Plans, I’ll present the 1994 plan, the first created by the Canadian Space Agency.

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has announced an upcoming opportunity round for the Space Technology Development Program (STDP).

Kepler Communications announced this week that they had partnered with the UK’s Satellite Applications Catapult on developing a third demonstration satellite and expanding their operations into the UK.

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”.

Everyone was smiling at MDA’s Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue facility, not only because the government had just announced an investment of $26.7 million through the Space Technology Development Program (STDP), but also because the participants we’re about to see the three RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) satellites before they get shipped for launch this fall. All told, there were 49 projects funded through the STDP from two announcements of opportunities.

The CASI ASTRO 18 conference provided the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Directors General (DG) an opportunity to provide an update on CSA activities and outline current and future opportunities. 

In the last week the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and the Department of National Defence (DND) invested $16 million in support of three organizations.

In a world where news is disseminated seemingly at light speed globally, why is it that government departments and ministers make Canadians wait months before making an announcement on a decision that’s already been made?