Chapter 15, Annex O CANADIAN SPACE PROGRAM

CANADA’S INVOLVEMENT IN SPACE TECHNOLOGIES

The CSA headquarters is located at the John H. Chapman Space Centre in Saint-Hubert, Que. Canada is involved in many aspects of space exploration. Canadian scientists and researchers are particularly interested with the development and testing of space technologies.

The David Florida Laboratory (DFL). The David Florida Laboratory is Canada’s world-class spacecraft assembly, integration and testing centre.

The Canadian Analogue Research Network (CARN). CARN is the organization that uses Canadian sites for field studies. These analogue sites approximate conditions that may exist or have existed on Mars and other planetary bodies such as the moon and the Solar System’s icy moons.

Partnerships With the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). The CSA has many partners including international space agencies, industry, post-secondary researchers and educational projects.

CSA MISSIONS

CSA has participated in many space missions with its partners. Canadian astronauts or Canadian technology has gone into space with agencies from the United States, Russia, Europe and Japan. There have been four basic types of CSA missions:

Telecommunications. Being able to keep all places in the country connected with advanced telecommunication services assists every Canadian in competing in the global marketplace.

Earth Observation. Canada’s earth-observation initiatives enhance our understanding of the planet and its environment. By observing the earth from space, essential information on oceans, ice, land environments and the atmosphere is gathered.

Space Exploration. Canadian astronauts have been on many missions in various space shuttles. Canada is renowned for the exceptional instruments in its science satellites which collect data that will expand our understanding of the origin, formation, structure and evolution of celestial bodies and the universe.

Space Medicine. Space medicine combines many medical specialties to examine the effects of spaceflight on humans and prevent problems associated with living in a unique, isolated, and extreme environment like space.

For more information about the Canadian space program visit www.space.gc.ca.