Recently in Commercial Space Category

This new video titled "Santa's Little Detour" posted on the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) YouTube channel combines both holiday spirit and a marketing message, a dual message.

The Canadian Space Summit is an annual conference that brings together all elements of the Canadian space industry. In addition to displays, booths, and activities, the centerpiece of the Summit are three days of paper sessions covering a wide variety of topics. Sponsored by the Canadian Space Society, the 2011 summit was recently from November 23 - 25 in Calgary.

When the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project (NPP) is launched Friday, an interferometer built by the ABB company will be onboard. The first of a new generation of US meteorological satellites is to be launched by NASA on October 28, at 5:48:01 a.m. EDT.

COM DEV saw revenues decrease in the first quarter (Q1) of 2011 as compared to Q1 in 2010 from $56.7 million to $48.7 million but saw new orders rise to $59 million as compared to $51 million a year ago. In a move to show support for its stock COM DEV will also repurchase up to 10% of its stock.

The Canadian Space Commerce Association has criticized the Conservative budget plan to perform a review of Canada's aerospace and policy programs saying the plans "are not optimal for the requirement of the Canadian space systems sector."

The message was clear at the Next Breakthrough Space Technologies for Canada industry event last Friday in Toronto, Ottawa we have a problem, and you're it. If ever there was an industry that feels neglected it's the commercial space industry.

Next Friday in Toronto the Canadian Space Commerce Association will be holding it's annual meeting with the theme The Next Breakthrough Space Technologies for Canada. The event will bring together executives, business owners, independent consultants, venture capitalists, scientists, engineers, R&D managers and students. Some of Canada's top commercial space companies will be represented along with smaller new companies, academia, the military and the Canadian Space Agency.

MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) announced yesterday that the Canadian Space Agency has authorized MDA to start the design phase (C) of the RADARSAT Constellation Mission. The value of this contract is limited to $11.8 million and is expected to be completed by June 11, 2010. The announcement comes two weeks after the federal government unveiled it's budget which included funding for the RADARSAT Constellation.

In the budget released by the government last week was $397 million of new funding for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission. In addition, the Canadian Space Agency had already allocated $100 million for the Constellation. The green light to this project is an important step in maintaining highly skilled jobs and keeping Canada a leader in the Earth Observation field which will benefit the growing Canadian commercial space sector.

Earlier this fall John Chapman of White Rock, BC, a semi-retired mining expert who is also a strong proponent of commercializing space wrote to Canadian Space Agency (CSA) President Steve MacLean about the creation of prizes to accelerate space related technology. Last week he received a positive response.