September 2010 Archives

With conference season in full swing and SpaceRef Co-founder and Senior Editor Marc Boucher in Prague covering the 61st International Astronautical Congress (IAC2010) all this week, it's time to take a quick look at some of the other space focused events, conferences and conventions coming up over the next little while.

Zombie satellite refuses to die; threatens Anik F3! Meanwhile, back on Earth, the Constellation program also refuses to die and continues to swallow whole the brains, money and other assets rightly belonging to others in the US space program but not Canadian government favorite Macdonald Detwiller (MDA) which just keeps going and going. All that and more, this week in space for Canada.

MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) was awarded a $6 million (CAD) contract today by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to develop a terrestrial prototype of a science rover for Mars exploration. The Mars Exploration Science Rover (MESR) prototype is part of the CSA Exploration Surface Mobility (ESM) program.

If you're lucky enough to live in an area that sees the Northern Lights, or the Aurora Borealis, then you know how magically it can be to see the dance of light in the night sky. For those who don't get to see the Northern Lights the Canadian Space Agency and its partners now brings you the light show live to your computer through the AuroraMAX project web site.

With more than a half-dozen posters available for delegates to view, Gordon Zhou - a young researcher at the University of British Columbia's department of civil engineering - said in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) is the one theme that unites the posters he wrote with Austin Mardon, at the Antarctic Institute of Canada.

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has spent the past three years putting "considerable emphasis" on lunar exploration technologies, according to the paper Advanced technology Development for Space Exploration at the Canadian Space Agency being presented at the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group this week.

The Canadian Space Society announced the Call for Papers for the upcoming Canadian Space Summit. The summit is an annual conference that brings together all elements of the Canadian space industry. The annual meeting is being held between November 19th through the 21st at the Lord Elgin Hotel in Ottawa. In addition to displays, booths, and activities, the centerpiece of the Summit are two days of paper sessions covering a wide variety of topics. Registration is open for the Summit.

The next Canadian Space Commerce Association meeting is Thursday, September 16, 2010 from 7:30 to 9:00 pm at the law office of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, 199 Bay Street, Suite 2800, Commerce Court West, Toronto, ON M5L 1A9 (a map to the office can be found at: http://www.blakes.com/english/toronto.html).

Just in time for its annual Canadian Space Summit the Canadian Space Society has added software Industry heavyweight Analytical Graphics, Inc (AGI) as a major corporate sponsor to the ranks of its contributors. AGI provides software for timely and cost-effective development of advanced space, defense and intelligence applications.

The concept of mining on the moon is "embryonic", notes Dale Boucher, a researcher from the Northern Centre for Advanced Technology (NORCAT), but with the right economic argument there will be companies interested in getting involved. Boucher co-authored the paper Assessing the Resource Potential of the Moon: The Case for a Decadal-Scale Robotic Lunar Exploration Program presented at this weeks Lunar Exploration Analysis Group meeting.

Each fall the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group gather to discuss the exploration of the moon. The focus of the meeting this year will be using the Moon as a target for solar system exploration, science, commerce, education, and technology development. The meeting takes place in Washington starting today through Thursday. Canadian participation in the meeting is strong once again this year and SpaceRef will provide a daily report during the week focusing on Canadian content.

The main success of the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG) is allowing Canada to keep an eye out on what other countries are doing and to develop programs in parallel, according to the Canadian Space Agency's (CSA) Victoria Hipkin. The program scientist for planetary exploration is a co-author on a paper explaining ISECG's importance; it will be presented at the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG) meetings that begins today.

The Space Security Index (SSI) releases its seventh annual report just in time for the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC) teleconference on space debris and traffic management. Meanwhile, completed Canadian components of the James Webb Space Telescope begin showing up at Goddard Space Flight Center for final testing and MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) Chief Executive Daniel Friedmann states that his company "hasn't always gotten a lot of love from its home government." All that and more, this week in space for Canada.

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) issued a tender through the MERX system this morning looking for proposals to overhaul it's online presence, to branch out into interactive games and to embrace social media.

Com Dev International's CEO gets fired but shouldn't feel lonely since up to 5% of the firms labour force could be joining him on the unemployment lines due to ongoing problems with government satellite contracts. Meanwhile Carleton University sets up a Canada-India centre of excellence in science, technology, trade and policy and an ex-french paratrooper living in North Battleford plans to skydive from 120,000 feet. All that and more. this week in space for Canada.

NASA's next-generation, five-segment solid rocket development motor -- DM-2 -- is successfully cold-fired in its test stand at ATK's facility in Promontory, Utah. Also, NASA's Chief Technologist visits facilities developing cutting-edge technologies at three NASA centers. Plus, MMS passes its critical design review; Glenn hosts a groundbreaking for its new central office building; NASA needs deejays; and the agency's one-girl food drive force in West Virginia.

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.

A summary of the night sky for September with detailed information on observing the Moon on September 18.

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 to the International Space Station for future astronaut flights.

The Canadian Space Society has extended its deadline for submission of abstracts for the Canadian Space Summit to October 1st due to popular demand according to the Canadian Space Society. The Canadian Space Summit is a leading annual conference dedicated to Canadian space technology development and industry awareness. Special guests will includes Dr. Iain Christie, President of Neptec Inc., Col. Andre Dupuis, Director of Space Development for the Canadian Forces and Johanna Wagstaffe, CBC Meteorologist and host for this year's Canadian Space Summit public event.

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 US and Canadian government satellite contracts. Meanwhile, a posse of politicians make an "important" announcement regarding "a future space mission for a Canadian astronaut" that most of the rest of us likely already know about. All that and more, this week in space for Canada.

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 International Space Station.

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 Brampton, Ont. - was initially designed for astronauts to operate from inside the station.