SpaceQ Space news and analysis.

The Canadian Space Agency today issued a call for proposals to build two Lunar Exploration Light Rover (LELR) prototypes at maximum cost of $11 million per rover. Up to two contracts will be awarded with each contract requiring a prototype to be built. Only one contract will be awarded per bidder. Proposals are due by August 17th.

Julie Payette ponders her possible future as an ex-astronaut while pundits and commentators speculate on whether current astronaut Chris Hadfield will return to space anytime soon and everyone else seems to want the Russians to launch more rockets. All that and more on this second day after Canada Day, this week in space for Canada.

In an article posted on Spaceflight Now Gilles Leclerc, Director General of Space Technologies at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) confirms that the International Space Station (ISS) partners have contacted Russia about purchasing an additional Soyuz spacecraft, potentially one new flight per year between 2013 and 2016. Currently an additional seat on a Soyuz costs $56 million based on the last contract signed by the …

A group of researchers from academia, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and NASA are currently at Pavilion Lake in British Columbia exploring and studying the origin of rare freshwater carbonate rock formations found there. This research not only helps us better understand our knowledge of the earth it prepares for future exploration of the moon and Mars.

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) announced today that it has awarded two contracts to MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) and one to the University of Calgary for concepts studies for Canada’s participation in NASA’s New Frontiers program. Each of the contracts is valued at $500,000.

In a surprise move the White House yesterday released a National Space Policy giving reporters scant notice and leaving many to wonder how serious the Obama administration is with respect to U.S. space activities. The policy which focuses on stronger international cooperation comes at a time when the White House is an a protracted battle with congress over the future of NASA’s Constellation space exploration …

Where: University of Western Ontario – Center for Planetary Science and Exploration Dates: September 7th-15th, 2010 Web site: http://planetsci.uwo.ca/Graduate/ShortCourse2010.html Course Description (PLANETSC 9602) This is an intensive 7-day modular course on planetary science. The focus of the course will be on the fundamental processes that have shaped the terrestrial planets and their moons, and asteroids. Particular emphasis will be placed on investigations of the Moon, …

Engineering job fairs proliferate all along the Florida “space” coast as the US shuttle program winds down, while in Canada alternative space propulsion gains momentum and I personally have to “apologize profusely” as the Canadian Space Agency becomes a paying customer to launch the upcoming “CASade, Smallsat and IOnospheric Polar Explorer” (CASSIOPE) satellite on a Falcon-9 rocket. All that and more, this week in space …

The worldwide commercial space market heats up as Iridium Satellite Communications caps a two billion dollar turnaround with a $492 million USD launch contract to Elon Musk and his Space-X cowboys. Meanwhile, back in Canada our federal government finally ponies up another $26.4 million CDN to MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) to continue work on phase “C” of the RADARSAT Constellation mission and COMDEV International …