Canadian Space Agency
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is the governmental organization responsible for the peaceful exploration of space in Canada. Established in 1990, the CSA has contributed significantly to various space missions and technological advancements, including the development of the Canadarm, a robotic arm utilized in international space endeavors. Canada's involvement in space exploration predates the CSA's formation, as the country participated in satellite development and astronaut training in collaboration with the United States from the 1960s onward.
Canadian astronauts have played pivotal roles in missions to the International Space Station (ISS), with milestones achieved by individuals such as Roberta Bondar, the first Canadian woman in space, and Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian to command the ISS. The CSA has also pursued innovative projects, such as the RADARSAT satellites for Earth observation and participation in international programs like the Lunar Gateway and Artemis missions, which aim to further explore lunar and deep-space environments.
In addition to its space missions, the CSA fosters STEM education initiatives and collaborates with academic institutions to stimulate technological advancements in Canada. Through these efforts, the CSA continues to encourage a new generation of scientists and engineers, contributing to both national pride and global cooperation in space exploration.
Canadian Space Agency
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is the part of the Canadian government devoted to the peaceful exploration of space. The space agency, which was created in 1990, has played a role in a number of important experiments and technological innovations, including the Canadarm robotic space arms that have been used on international space missions for decades. A number of Canadian astronauts have also traveled into space, taking part in missions to the International Space Station (ISS). Although the CSA was created in 1990, the Canadian government participated in space exploration and experiments well before the launching of the CSA. The Canadian government has maintained a force of astronauts since the 1980s, when those astronauts took part in space missions in partnership with the United States. In the twenty-first century, the CSA and the Canadian government continue to send astronauts on missions. They have also developed new space exploration technology, including a space station that orbits the moon.
Background
Space exploration began in earnest after World War II (1939–1945) when powerful rockets, originally meant as missile-delivery systems, were adapted to send large payloads outside the atmosphere and into space. The Soviet Union launched the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, on October 4, 1957. The Soviets’ initial successes in space exploration led the United States to increase interest in space exploration. The United States launched its first satellite, Explorer 1, on January 31, 1958. Cold War conflicts between the United States and the Soviets spawned the Space Race, driving efforts to succeed in space exploration for multiple generations. Although Soviets and Americans battled for space supremacy, a number of other nations, including Canada, also took part in space exploration during the early days of the Space Race. By 1969, the United States had landed men on the moon, effectively winning the Space Race. The 1970s saw the beginning of an era of international cooperation in space exploration. The United States began discussing plans to create and maintain an international space station with Soviet, European, Japanese, and Canadian space officials in the 1980s. In 1998, the cooperative efforts paid off when the International Space Station (ISS) was launched, creating a place for astronauts from around the world to work and explore together.
Overview
When the United States and Soviet Union began the scramble to win the Space Race in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Canadian government did not have an official space agency. Yet, the Canadian government was still interested in space exploration and the technological advantages that launching satellites into orbit could provide. In 1959, the Canadian government made a proposal to the US space agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), asking the agency to launch a satellite developed by Canadians. The Canadian government wanted the proposed satellite, Alouette 1, to study the ionosphere, which is one of the upper regions of Earth’s atmosphere. In 1960, the US satellite Transit 2A was launched into space with Canadian hardware aboard, making it the first piece of Canadian engineering in space.
The Canadian Defence Research Board then designed and built the Alouette 1. On September 29, 1962, NASA launched the satellite into Earth orbit. The launch of Alouette 1 made history, as Canada became the only country other than the Soviet Union and the United States to design and build a satellite that was successfully launched into space. On November 29, 1965, Alouette 2, a second Canadian-designed satellite, was launched into space.
Canada and the United States continued to collaborate in space exploration during the next few decades. In 1984, astronaut Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space when he rode on the US Space Shuttle Challenger. In 1985, Canada agreed to join the United States and several other national space agencies in the creation of an international space station. Although Canada’s government had considered creating its own space program for decades—and a 1962 government report recommended the creation of such a program—Canada still had no official space program by the 1980s.
The government began planning for the agency in earnest by interviewing potential astronauts and announced its plans to create the CSA in March 1989. Legislation officially creating the agency was approved in May 1990. The first team of Canadian astronauts included Ken Money, Marc Garneau, Steve MacLean, Bjarni Tryggvason, Robert Thirsk, and Roberta Bondar. The astronauts were originally trained and managed by the National Research Council in the 1980s, but the CSA took over the astronaut program when it came into effect. These Canadian astronauts had primarily taken part in American space missions during the 1980s.
By 1992, the CSA was looking for new astronaut recruits and more than five thousand Canadians applied for the positions. The CSA chose only four new astronauts: Chris Hadfield, Mike McKay, Julie Payette, and Dave Williams. The CSA had to recruit new astronauts again in 2008 after a number of the original astronauts retired. Once again, the CSA had more than five thousand applicants and again the organization chose only a few new members, with Jeremy Hansen and David Saint-Jacques being the final candidates. In 2017, Joshua Kutryk and Jennifer Sidey became Canadian astronauts. Canadian astronauts completed their training in both Canada and the United States.
In addition to training astronauts for space missions, the CSA also contributed important technology to space exploration. One of the most impactful is the Canadarm, a robotic space arm that functioned while outside a spacecraft. The Canadarm helped capture and launch satellites; it also aided with the docking of US space shuttles to the International Space Station. The arm was even used in the construction of the ISS. The Canadarm was first developed by a number of Canadian companies in 1981, before the development of the CSA. Since 1990, the technology has been managed by the CSA and assisted on more than ninety different missions. The Canadarm also inspired other Canadian engineering designs that have aided in manufacturing, medicine, and other fields.
Throughout the 1990s, the CSA and Canadian astronauts continued to make important developments in space exploration. In 1992, Canadian astronaut Roberta Bondar became the second Canadian, and first Canadian woman, in space aboard NASA’s Space Shuttle Discovery; Steve MacLean became the third Canadian astronaut in space later that year. In 1995, the CSA launched RADARSAT, satellite built for Earth observation using radar and microwave technology. RADARSAT captured the first high-resolution satellite image of the South Pole in 1997. In 1999, one year after the ISS launched, astronaut Julie Payette became the first Canadian to board the ISS. Two years later, Chris Hadfield participated in the first spacewalk by a Canadian astronaut. He helped deploy Canadarm2, an updated version of the robotic arm.
In 2003, the CSA launched its first space telescope, the Microvariability and Oscillations of Stars telescope, or MOST. The organization launched an updated satellite, RADARSAT-2, in 2007. This satellite became an important tool for surface mapping and disaster monitoring. The CSA also launched Dextre (Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator), which was a hardware addition to the ISS in 2008. Chris Hadfield became the first Canadian commander of the ISS in 2013. Between December 2018 and June 2019, astronaut David Saint-Jacques spent 204 days on the ISS, marking the longest space mission in Canadian history. While on the mission, Saint-Jacques took part in spacewalks and performed important maintenance tasks on the ISS.
In 2019, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada and the CSA would partner with NASA and the United States on the Lunar Gateway program. The goal of the program was to create a moon-orbiting space station. That same year, the CSA announced its new space strategy, “Exploration, Imagination, Innovation.” The updated strategy was meant to help focus the CSA, Canadian academic institutions, and Canadian private industries on a future where space exploration was even more important. The CSA also planned to collaborate with the European Space Agency (ESA) and other foreign space programs to promote space exploration and develop space technologies.
The CSA, along with the ESA and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, also partnered with NASA on the Artemis program. The Artemis missions planned to send astronauts to the Moon and build a foundation for deep-sea explorations, possibly to Mars. The CSA announced that one of its astronauts, Jeremy Hansen, would participate in Artemis II, the first crewed mission to the Moon since 1972. Artemis II was a crewed test flight of the Orion spacecraft, which would fly by the Moon. Artmis II was scheduled to launch in September 2025 and would be followed by Artemis III. During this mission, the Orion would land on the Moon.
The CSA has also made important contributions outside its direct missions and actions in space. The CSA has numerous programs that encourage Canadian involvement in science and technology. The CSA’s space technology program gives money to Canadian universities for the development of technology the CSA could use. This program encourages university science and technology programs, providing the CSA with new technology and insight to use in its mission. The CSA also has its astronauts take part in community outreach to help encourage interest in STEM topics among Canadian youth.
Bibliography
“5 Things Canada Has Contributed to Space Exploration.” Canadian Broadcasting Company, 2020, www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/five-things-canada-has-contributed-to-space-exploration. Accessed 5 Jan. 2020.
“Canadarm.” Canadian Space Agency, 21 June 2018, www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/canadarm/default.asp. Accessed 5 Jan. 2020.
“Canadian Space Milestones.” Canadian Space Agency, 21 June 2018, www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/about/milestones.asp. Accessed 5 Jan. 2020.
Donaldson, Abbey A. "NASA, Canadian Space Agency to Assign Artemis II Moon Astronauts." NASA, 10 Mar. 2023, www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-canadian-space-agency-to-assign-artemis-ii-moon-astronauts/. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
Dotto, Lydia and Chuck Black. "Canadian Space Agency." Canadian Encyclopedia, 8 Aug. 2019, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canadian-space-agency. Accessed 5 Jan. 2020.
“History of the Canadian Astronaut Corps.” Canadian Space Agency, 22 Mar. 2019, www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/canadian/history-of-the-canadian-astronaut-corps.asp. Accessed 5 Jan. 2020.
Howell, Elizabeth. “Canadian Space Agency: Facts & Information.” Space.com, 26 Apr. 2018, www.space.com/22534-canadian-space-agency.html. Accessed 5 Jan. 2020.
Rosano, Michela. “Timeline of the Canadian Space Agency.” Canadian Geographic, 1 Oct. 2014, www.canadiangeographic.ca/article/timeline-canadian-space-agency. Accessed 5 Jan. 2020.
“Space Missions.” Canadian Space Agency, 24 June 2019, www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/missions/default.asp. Accessed 5 Jan. 2020.