SpaceQ Space news and analysis.

The Canadian Space Agency is preparing for a possible budget cut, one which could significantly affect the agency. The possible cut comes as no surprise. After all, the government has indicated many times this year that cuts to all departments were possible. What was not expected is the possible size of the cuts.

The Canadian Space Agency released its 2010 State of the Canadian Space Sector Report yesterday. The report indicates that revenues in the sector were up 14% over the 2009 and reached $3.4 billion and that 692 new positions were added to the sector, an increase of 9.2%.

At the First Canadian Aerospace Summit hosted by the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada in Ottawa yesterday a distinguished group of leaders was brought together for the Canadian Aerospace Leaders Panel moderated by Canadian Space Agency (CSA) President Dr. Steve MacLean. The theme of the panel was “Does Canada need an aerospace industrial base?” The message from industry leaders was clear, for industry to be …

For the first China has docked two of its spacecraft the Shenzhou-8 and Tiangong-1 space lab module.

MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd (TSX:MDA) reported strong earnings for the third quarter of 2011 with revenues increasing to $182 million compared to $167 million for the same period last year. MDA was boosted in the third quarter by U.S. operations and medical robotics.

The following article first appeared in the first issue of our new magazine Space Quarterly on September 1, 2011. With the opening today of the First Canadian Aerospace Summit in Ottawa we thought it appropriate to publish this article online. The next issue of Space Quarterly will be published December 1. Subscribe to the digital or print edition for more in-depth coverage of the Canadian …

China has launched the Shenzhou-8 which will attempt to rendezvous and dock with the Tiangong-1 space station module. This is China’s first attempt at a docking and rendezvous between its spacecraft.

An unmanned Progress cargo ship loaded with 2.9 tons of supplies was successfully launched this morning. Bound for the International Space Station, it is the first launch attempt after the failure of a Soyuz rocket with another unmanned Progress last August. With this successful launch, the way is clear for the launch of the next ISS three man crew November 14.

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has awarded six contracts to four organizations to develop concept studies in areas related to future space exploration ventures. The studies are part of the CSA’s strategy to invest in emerging ideas that could become Canada’s next revolutionary technologies, like a high resolution Canadian-led space telescope; robots to remove space debris and tune-up ailing satellites; an instrument to measure the …

The NASA’s National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) satellite was launched into orbit October 28, 2011 on a Delta 2 rocket from California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base.