The Canadian Space Agencysa国际传媒檚 head of space exploration is looking at how the CSA could contribute to a planned mini space station that would orbit the moon.
Gilles Leclerc says Canadian robotics could play a key role on the Deep Space Gateway.
The CSA is working to develop robotic arms as its contribution to a small lunar outpost to be built by international partners in the next decade.
American and Russian space agencies signed a statement long-term space projects, which focus on the so-called deep space gateway. The small space station would be placed in orbit between the Earth and the moon.
sa国际传媒淔or Canada, the challenge right now is to identify what our contribution could be to humanitysa国际传媒檚 next step in human exploration,sa国际传媒� said Gilles Leclerc, the Canadian agencysa国际传媒檚 head of space exploration.
sa国际传媒淲e are defining what Canada will do in the next 30 years in space.sa国际传媒�
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
Canada and the worldsa国际传媒檚 space agencies are committed to the International Space Station until 2024.
The next destination would be the lunar station sa国际传媒� a platform to serve as a staging point to travel to the moonsa国际传媒檚 surface and eventually, further away.
sa国际传媒淭he ultimate destination for all partners sa国际传媒� is Mars,sa国际传媒� Leclerc said.
A natural fit for Canadasa国际传媒檚 contribution would revolve around robotics.
Leclerc said there are three possibilities: robotic arms, moon rovers and space mining sa国际传媒� technologies Canada already develops and could be useful.
Concept studies have started on two robotic arms that will help build and maintain the mini-station.
MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. of B.C. has been awarded a $2.75 million contract to work on the new Canadarms.
Paul Fulford, MDAsa国际传媒檚 product development manager, said the current concept involves an eight-metre manipulator arm and a smaller one-metre arm.
sa国际传媒淭he CSA are asking that we explore the notion of a small multi-purpose arm sa国际传媒� one that could work inside the space station and possibly on the surface of the moon as well,sa国际传媒� he said.
Fulford said the new robotic arms could be operating on the lunar outpost in the 2020s, which would help get a Canadian astronaut to the moon.
Leclerc said the future of the station will depend on the means of transportation to get back to the moon. NASA is developing the Space Launch System (SLS), a giant rocket developed with deep space travel in mind.
The SLS would be topped with an Orion capsule with a crew of four.
A tentative plan would see an SLS rocket travel around the moon unmanned in 2019 and another after that to come within three years sa国际传媒� this time with astronauts.
sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 going to be at least three missions to construct the deep space gateway from 2020 to 2026,sa国际传媒� Leclerc said, after which the station would be manned.
Canadasa国际传媒檚 newest astronauts, Jennifer Sidey and Joshua Kutryk, started basic training last month and space flight is at least five years away.
This is a huge day! Pretty exciting! Thank you to everyone who supported me so much over this year-long process. You have been incredible!
sa国际传媒� Dr. Jenni Sidey (@Astro_Jenni)
Fellow astronaut David Saint-Jacques is scheduled for a six-month visit to the ISS in November 2018 and colleague Jeremy Hansen could see his own mission between 2020 and 2024.
Leclerc said Canada is also looking at commercially-built capsules by companies like SpaceX to transport its corps.
It comes as the federal government works on a new space strategy, following consultations earlier this year by Canadasa国际传媒檚 Space Advisory Board.
An exciting and a proud day for me! Thank you to everyone who has helped me get here.
sa国际传媒� Joshua Kutryk (@Astro_Kutryk)
It released a report suggesting Canadasa国际传媒檚 space industry has sa国际传媒渓ost groundsa国际传媒� with rapidly changing environment and substantial space investments by other countries.
The board made several recommendations, including one that space be designated as a national strategic asset.
Peter Rakobowchuk, The Canadian Press
Like us on and follow us on .
