Chuck Black: July 2010 Archives

Thank goodness we're not the American's because US space competitiveness has eroded in each of the past three years according to the Futron Space Competitiveness Index, which considers Russia the big winner in space because of its recently doubled space budget and focus on monetizing national space investments but which also concedes that Europe, Japan, China and India are also expanding their activities. So how do Canadian's compare? All that and more, this week in space for Canada.

India launches a Norwegian micro-satellite built by a Canadian university without any help from the American space program, which insists that it's "not dead yet" as the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee "unanimously" approves legislation adding an extra shuttle mission and development funds for their proposed heavy-lift rocket while the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) just might possibly have said something if it wasn't for those "pesky" politicians. All that and more, this week in space for Canada.

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.