All articles tagged with #canadian space agency
Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen is stepping down from his full-time role with the Canadian Space Agency to transition into an ongoing space-support position, while remaining a Royal Canadian Air Force reservist; he helped lead Artemis II and says the mission continues for Canada.
Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen will step back from his full-time astronaut role this September and transition to a reservist post with the Royal Canadian Air Force to pursue new opportunities in Canada’s space efforts. Hansen, Artemis II’s mission specialist and the program’s only international crewmate, helped orbit the Moon on a historic flight; CSA and Canadian leaders praised his service as Artemis III moves forward, leaving three active CSA astronauts.
The ISS’s Canadarm2 robotic arm is offline after a wrist joint seized and motor current spiked during routine work. NASA plans a spacewalk on June 30 to replace the affected joint, with a spare already aboard. Coordinated with the Canadian Space Agency, the repair is essential for berthing cargo ships and maintenance, and Canadarm2 has supported the station for about 25 years.
Canadian Space Agency astronaut Josh Kutryk is slated to fly to the International Space Station on SpaceX Crew-13 no earlier than September 2026, spending about six months aboard Expedition 75/76. This will mark the CSA’s first ISS rotation in eight years after the Boeing Starliner mishap led to reassignment of Starliner-1 crews. The crew also includes NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney and Roscosmos’ Sergey Teteryatnikov. Kutryk, a Royal Canadian Air Force colonel and veteran test pilot, will conduct Canadian-led experiments and maintenance on the station, continuing Canada’s Artemis-era involvement and Canadarm3 initiatives.
Artemis II will launch NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen on a ten-day mission to orbit the Moon, making history as the first Black person and first woman to leave low Earth orbit and the first non-American to travel beyond LEO.
NASA’s Artemis 2 mission will launch no earlier than April 1 at 6:24 p.m. EDT from Kennedy Space Center, carrying Reid Williams (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), Christina Koch (mission specialist) and CSA’s Jeremy Hansen. The crew will ride the Space Launch System and Orion on a roughly 10-day flight to loop around the Moon, with a close approach around 5,000 miles from the lunar surface and a trans-lunar injection about 24 hours after liftoff. Exterior Orion cameras will stream live footage and NASA expects daily communications with Earth as mission events unfold. Artemis 2 tests the SLS/Orion system for future Artemis missions, though timings can change; Space.com will provide live updates.
Canada has canceled its first planned moon rover mission, terminating a CSA-led program to search for lunar water ice and study the Moon's geology, slated for a 2029 launch with Firefly under NASA's CLPS. The move, part of CSA budget cuts for 2026-27 and accompanying NASA Artemis program shifts (Gateway pause in favor of a lunar base), means the rover team can repurpose its expertise for other Canadian lunar efforts, though some grants will continue and collaborations around Artemis 2 remain possible.
Canada's Space Agency's 2026–27 Departmental Plan terminates Canadensys Aerospace's Lunar Rover Mission (approved in 2022, to launch in 2029) as part of budget tightening. The plan includes about $6.66 million in reductions for 2026–27 and $14.36 million by 2028–29, with around 45 full-time positions cut, reallocating funds to other lunar initiatives (notably the Lunar Utility Vehicle) and Earth observation while maintaining a large overall CSA budget and continuing Artemis/space-science programs.
The Canadian Space Agency is inviting the public to help name its first moon rover, set to launch no earlier than 2026 as part of a collaboration with NASA's Artemis program. The rover will explore the moon's south pole, searching for water ice and demonstrating new technologies. The public can vote on names like Athabasca, Courage, Glacier, and Pol-R until December 20. This initiative is part of Canada's broader lunar exploration efforts, including contributions like the Canadarm3 for NASA's Gateway space station.
NASA astronaut Don Pettit captured a video of the Canadian Space Agency's Dextre robot performing a science experiment on the International Space Station. The footage, shared on social media, shows Dextre working with the Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) to test material durability in space. The Canadarm2 and Dextre, managed by MDA Space, are key robotic assets on the ISS, contributing to various tasks including spacecraft capture. Pettit, known for his space photography, continues to document space missions and phenomena during his time on the ISS.
The Canadian Space Agency is inviting the public to help name its first moon rover, set to launch no earlier than 2026 as part of a collaboration with NASA's Artemis program. The rover will explore the moon's south pole, searching for water ice and demonstrating new technologies. The naming contest runs until December 20, with options like Athabasca, Courage, Glacier, and Pol-R. This initiative is part of Canada's broader lunar exploration efforts, including contributions like the Canadarm3 for NASA's Gateway space station.
Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen and his crewmates on the Artemis 2 moon mission will enjoy a menu that includes Canadian maple cream cookies, smoked salmon, shrimp curry with rice, and strawberry lavender superseed cereal. The Canadian Space Agency considered factors such as shelf life, texture, and ease of consumption in space when selecting the food. Canada's participation in the Artemis program's moon aims includes supplying hardware such as the Canadarm3 robotic arm for the future NASA Gateway space station.
Astronaut Chris Hadfield, the retired Canadian Space Agency astronaut known for his social media presence during his time on the International Space Station, expressed his interest in flying on SpaceX's Starship for a trip around the moon. Hadfield, who is a consultant to SpaceX, praised the potential of the Starship and stated that he would love the opportunity to fly it. He also discussed the growth of Canada's space program and highlighted the upcoming missions involving Canadian astronauts, including Jeremy Hansen's flight around the moon with Artemis 2 and Josh Kutryk's mission to the International Space Station on Boeing Starliner. Hadfield also mentioned Jenni Gibbons as a potential future Canadian astronaut to set foot on the moon.
Canadian Space Agency astronauts Joshua Kutryk and Jeremy Hansen, both pilots with the Royal Canadian Air Force, have accumulated a combined 8,000 hours of flying experience, which they credit as valuable preparation for their upcoming space missions. Kutryk, assigned to Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, will bring his experience as a test pilot to evaluate the spacecraft during his own mission in 2025. Hansen, set to fly on NASA's Artemis 2 moon mission in 2024, highlights the similarities between flying fighter aircraft and human spaceflight, emphasizing the need for critical evaluation and teamwork. The military training received by both astronauts has equipped them with the skills to manage risks, adapt to new challenges, and work towards mission success.
The Canadian Space Agency's Deep Space Healthcare Challenge has selected five finalists who presented their medical technology solutions for astronauts in deep space. The challenge aims to create portable technology that allows rapid diagnoses and treatment in case of health issues, considering the constraints of space travel. The winner will receive a half-million-dollar prize and the opportunity to apply for future opportunities with the Canadian Space Agency. The competition is part of the agency's goal to empower astronauts to take care of their own health with up-to-date tools.