The Canadian Space Agency (CSA; ) is the national space agency of Canada, established in 1990 by the Canadian Space Agency Act.
, the president of the CSA is Lisa Campbell, who took the position on September 3, 2020. The agency is responsible to the minister of industry. The CSA's headquarters are located at the John H. Chapman Space Centre in Longueuil, Quebec. The agency also has offices in Ottawa, Ontario, and small liaison offices in Houston, Washington D.C., and Paris.
History The origins of the Canadian upper atmosphere and space program can be traced back to the end of the Second World War.Andrew B. Godefroy. Defence & Discovery: Canada's Military Space Program, 1945–1974. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 2011. http://www.ubcpress.ubc.ca/search/title_book.asp?BookID=299173226 Between 1945 and 1960, Canada undertook a number of small launcher and satellite projects under the aegis of defence research, including the development of the Black Brant rocket as well as series of advanced studies examining both orbital rendezvous and re-entry.Andrew B. Godefroy. Defense & Discovery: Canada's Military Space Program, 1945–1974. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 2011. , chapters 2–6. In 1957, scientists and engineers at the Canadian Defence Research Telecommunications Establishment (DRTE) under the leadership of John H. Chapman embarked on a project initially known simply as S-27 or the Topside Sounder Project. This work would soon lead to the development of Canada's first satellite known as Alouette 1.
With the launch of Alouette 1 in September 1962, Canada became the third country to put an artificial satellite into space. At the time, Canada only possessed upper atmospheric launch capabilities (sounding rockets), therefore, Alouette 1 was sent aloft by the American National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Lompoc, California. The technical excellence of the satellite, which lasted for ten years instead of the expected one, prompted the further study of the ionosphere with the joint Canadian-designed, U.S.-launched ISIS satellite program. This undertaking was designated an International Milestone of Electrical Engineering by IEEE in 1993. The launch of Anik A-1 in 1972 made Canada the first country in the world to establish its own domestic geostationary communication satellite network.
These and other space-related activities in the 1980s compelled the Canadian government to promulgate the Canadian Space Agency Act, which established the Canadian Space Agency. The act received royal assent on May 10, 1990, and came into force on December 14, 1990.Canadian Space Agency Act (S.C. 1990, c. 13); SI/TR/91-5, The Canada Gazette, Part II, Vol. 125, № 1 (1991-01-02), p. 74.
The mandate of the Canadian Space Agency is to promote the peaceful use and development of space, to advance the knowledge of space through science and to ensure that space science and technology provide social and economic benefits for Canadians. The Canadian Space Agency's mission statement says that the agency is committed to leading the development and application of space knowledge for the benefit of Canadians and humanity.
In 1999, the CSA was moved from project-based to "A-base" funding and given a fixed annual budget of $300 million. The actual budget varies from year to year due to additional earmarks and special projects. In 2009, Dr. Nicole Buckley was appointed chief scientist of life science.
Presidents
1989 – May 4, 1992—Larkin Kerwin May 4, 1992 – July 15, 1994—Roland DoréCanadian Space Milestones - Canadian Space Agency. Asc-csa.gc.ca. Retrieved on 2013-08-21. November 21, 1994 – 2001—William MacDonald Evans November 22, 2001 – November 28, 2005—Marc Garneau History of the Canadian Astronaut Corps. Retrieved on 2014-05-04 April 12, 2007 – December 31, 2007—Larry J. Boisvert January 1, 2008 - September 2, 2008—Guy Bujold September 2, 2008 – February 1, 2013—Steven MacLeanSteve MacLean annonce son départ de l'Agence spatiale canadienne - Agence spatiale canadienne . Asc-csa.gc.ca (2013-01-15). Retrieved on 2013-08-21. February 2, 2013 – August 5, 2013—Gilles Leclerc (interim) August 6, 2013 – November 3, 2014—Walter Natynczyk November 3, 2014 - March 9, 2015—Luc Brûlé, Interim March 9, 2015 - September 14, 2020—Sylvain Laporte September 14, 2020 – present—Lisa Campbell
Cooperation with the European Space Agency The CSA has been a cooperating state of the European Space Agency (ESA) since the 1970s and has several formal and informal partnerships and collaborative programs with space agencies in other countries, such as NASA, ISRO, JAXA, and SNSA.
Canada's collaboration with Europe in space activities predated both the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency. From 1968, Canada held observer status in the European Space Conference (ESC), a ministerial-level organization set up to determine future European space activities, and it continued in this limited role after ESA was created in 1975. Since January 1, 1979, Canada has had the special status of a "Cooperating State" with the ESA, paying for the privilege and also investing in working time and providing scientific instruments that are placed on ESA probes. Canada is allowed to participate in optional programs; it also has to contribute to the General Budget but not as much as associate membership entail. This status was unique at the time and remains so today.
On 15 December 2010, the accord was renewed for a further 10 years, until 2020. By virtue of this accord, Canada takes part in ESA deliberative bodies and decision-making and in ESA's programmes and activities. Canadian firms can bid for and receive contracts to work on programmes. The accord has a provision specifically ensuring a fair industrial return to Canada. The head of the Canadian delegation to ESA is the president of the Canadian Space Agency. As of February 2009, there are currently 30 Canadians that are employed as staff members at ESA. (Distributed over various ESA sites: 20 at ESTEC; 4 at ESOC; 4 at ESA HQ; 2 at ESRIN).
Canadian space program
The Canadian space program is administered by the Canadian Space Agency. Canada has contributed technology, expertise and personnel to the world space effort, especially in collaboration with ESA and NASA. In addition to its astronauts and satellites, some of the most notable Canadian technological contributions to space exploration include the Canadarm on the Space Shuttle and Canadarm2 on the International Space Station.
Canada's contribution to the International Space Station is the C$1.3 billion Mobile Servicing System. This consists of Canadarm2 (SSRMS), Dextre (SPDM), mobile base system (MBS) and multiple robotics workstations that together make up the Mobile Servicing System on the ISS. The Canadarm, Canadarm2 and Dextre all employ the Advanced Space Vision System, which allows more efficient use of the robotic arms. Another Canadian technology of note is the Orbiter Boom Sensor System, which was an extension for the original Canadarm used to inspect the Space Shuttle's thermal protection system for damage while in orbit. Before the Space Shuttle's retirement, the boom was modified for use with Canadarm2; STS-134 (the Space Shuttle program's penultimate mission) left it for use on the ISS.
The Canadian Space Agency also has a Scientific Research programme on the International Space Station.
CSA astronauts
There have been four recruiting campaigns for astronauts for the CSA. The first, in 1983 by the National Research Council, led to the selection of Roberta Bondar, Marc Garneau, Robert Thirsk, Ken Money, Bjarni Tryggvason and Steve MacLean. The second, in 1992, selected Chris Hadfield, Julie Payette, Dafydd Williams and Michael McKay. On May 13, 2009, it was announced after the completion of a third selection process that two new astronauts, Jeremy Hansen and David Saint-Jacques, had been chosen. The latest recruitment campaign was launched in 2016, attracting 3,772 applicants for 2 candidates. In 2017, Joshua Kutryk and Jennifer Sidey were chosen.
Ten Canadians have participated in 18 crewed missions in total: 14 NASA Space Shuttle missions (including one mission to Mir), 3 Roscosmos Soyuz missions, and one Artemis program mission. Two former Canadian astronauts never flew in space: Michael McKay resigned for medical reasons and Ken Money resigned in 1992, eight years after his selection.
+ Canadian Space Agency astronautsName Launch VehicleMissionLaunch date NotesMarc GarneauChallengerSTS-41-GOctober 5, 1984First Canadian in spaceRoberta BondarDiscoverySTS-42January 22, 1992First Canadian woman in spaceSteven MacLeanColumbiaSTS-52October 22, 1992Chris HadfieldAtlantisSTS-74November 12, 1995Only Canadian to visit MirMarc GarneauEndeavourSTS-77May 19, 1996First Canadian to return to spaceRobert ThirskColumbiaSTS-78June 20, 1996Bjarni TryggvasonDiscoverySTS-85August 7, 1997Dafydd WilliamsColumbiaSTS-90April 17, 1998Julie PayetteDiscoverySTS-96May 27, 1999First Canadian to visit the International Space StationMarc GarneauEndeavourSTS-97November 30, 2000 ISS mission. Return to space (third visit)Chris HadfieldEndeavourSTS-100April 19, 2001 ISS mission. Return to space (second visit). First spacewalk by a CanadianSteven MacLeanAtlantisSTS-115September 9, 2006 ISS mission. Return to space (second visit); spacewalkDafydd WilliamsEndeavourSTS-118August 8, 2007 ISS mission. Return to space (second visit); spacewalkRobert ThirskSoyuz-FGSoyuz TMA-15May 27, 2009 ISS Expedition 20 and Expedition 21. Return to space (second visit). First flight on a Russian launch vehicle by a Canadian. First Canadian on a permanent ISS crew. First time two Canadians were in space simultaneously (with Payette)Julie PayetteEndeavourSTS-127July 15, 2009 ISS mission. First Canadian woman to return to space. First time two Canadians were in space simultaneously (with Thirsk). Largest gathering of humans (13) in space, as seven STS-127 arrivals join 6 already on ISS. Largest gathering (5) of nationalities in space, as the United States, Russia, Japan, Canada, and Belgium have astronauts together on ISS. Last Canadian to fly on a US Space Shuttle.Chris HadfieldSoyuz-FGSoyuz TMA-07MDecember 19, 2012 ISS Expedition 34 and Expedition 35. Return to space (third visit). First Canadian commander of a spacecraft, first Canadian Commander of a permanent ISS crew.David Saint-JacquesSoyuz-FGSoyuz MS-11December 3, 2018 ISS Expedition 58 and Expedition 59.Jeremy HansenSpace Launch SystemArtemis IIApril 1, 2026 First Canadian to travel beyond low Earth orbit. First Canadian to perform a lunar flyby.Joshua KutrykGraceSpaceX Crew-13October 1, 2026First Canadian to fly as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
On December 19, 2012, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield launched aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to reach the International Space Station. This mission marked the completion of NASA's compensation to Canada for its contribution to the Shuttle and International Space Station programs, meaning that there were no confirmed remaining space flight opportunities for Canadian astronauts. In June 2015, the Canadian government announced a renewed commitment to the International Space Station, securing flights for both of Canada's remaining active astronauts. In May 2016, the CSA announced that David Saint-Jacques would fly to the International Space Station aboard a Roscosmos Soyuz rocket in November 2018 for six months, as part of the Expedition 58/59 crew. The crew of the Artemis II lunar flyby mission included Jeremy Hansen under the terms of a 2020 treaty between the United States and Canada.
Canadian satellites