Marc Boucher: October 2010 Archives

The Canadian Space Agency today awarded Engineering Services Inc. (ESI) of Toronto a $3 million contract to develop prototype robotic arms, control stations and exploration tools that will be integrated into prototype lunar or martian rovers. The contract also includes an option for second arm worth $500,000.

Editorial: Last Thursday NASA held a series of media briefings for the upcoming launch on November 1st of the Space Shuttle Discovery, its 39th and final flight. After this launch there is only one scheduled launch left, tentatively set for late February. There may be an additional flight in June or next fall but not all of the funding has been appropriated. As the Shuttle program winds down, workforce layoffs have already started. It is in this context that John Shannon, NASA's Space Shuttle Program Manager, made the following Avro analogy in responding to a question about the reduction in workforce;

At the recent 61st International Astronautical Congress in Prague, Jean-Claude Piedboeuf, Head of Exploration Planning at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), provided an overview of Canada's preparatory exploration activities. While Canada has been involved in exploration activities for 25 years with its contributions in robotics, science and astronaut core, it wasn't until 2007 that the CSA created the Exploration Core Program to unify the activities within the agency.

On 18-20 May 2011, the 4th International Conference on Spacecraft Formation Flying Missions & Technologies (SFFMT) will be held in the John H. Chapman Space Center of the Canadian Space Agency in St-Hubert Qubec.

Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Meeting:
7:30 pm, October 14th, H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, Vancouver

Title of Talk: "Our Cosmic Journey - The Importance of Mineral Exploration, Discovery and Development"

This biennial event, hosted by the Canadian Alumni of the International Space University (CAISU), aims at promoting space awareness among students, young professionals, and the community in general. This year, participants at NSAW will be immersed in a dynamic and interdisciplinary setting focused on the theme: "ISS to Commercialization: Canada's Future Space Contributions".