SpaceQ Space news and analysis.

Solar Probe Plus, a new NASA mission to visit and study the sun closer than ever before, is officially underway. The spacecraft will plunge directly into the sun’s atmosphere at approximately 4 million miles from the surface into a region no other spacecraft has ever encountered.

This week’s news that veteran Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield was going to be the first Canadian to command the International Space Station while spending six months onboard also meant that Canada has used up its last available contracted launch seat to the International Space Station (ISS). And since Canada has no launch capability of its own, it is now in negotiation to secure launch access …

After yesterday’s announcement that veteran Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield would be flying on a six month long flight and serve as Commander of the International Space Station Hadfield’s sons promptly helped him setup a Twitter account and Facebook page, a first for a Canadian astronaut.

Our Prime Minister again endorses RadarSat Constellation, then reminds us that he increased Canadian Space Agency (CSA) funding in March 2010 so funding delays are now “a thing of the past,” just so long as nobody needs any cash until next year, which may or may not be good news for Com Dev International which warned investors on August 26th of continued cost-growth problems with …

The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology) announced today at the Canadian Space Agency headquarters that veteran astronaut Chris Hadfield will be Canada’s first Commander of the International Space Station and only the second Canadian astronaut to participate in a six month long duration mission aboard the International Space Station. Robert Thirsk was the first Canadian to spend six month on the …

The Canadian Space Agency announced this morning that they will hold a press conference tomorrow to announce an important mission for one of Canada’s astronauts. It is expected that the Canadian Space Agency will announce that veteran Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield will be introduced as the first Canadian Commander of an expedition to the International Space Station.

Call it an orbiting Edward Scissorhands. Although Dextre’s first major robotic work on the International Space Station this month was delayed due to a snagged truss, both the Canadian Space Agency and NASA anticipate it will replace spacewalkers for minor outside tasks during and after the station’s construction. Launched in 2008 aboard STS-123, the Canadian robotic hand – built by MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates in …

Today the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) issued through the tender service MERX a request for two separate firms to carry out a study on the RADARSAT Next Generation Options Study. The primary objective of the study work is to perform an in-depth evaluation of the Department of Defence (DND) requirements for surveillance radars and identify implementation options in a system that would enter into operation …