Canada announces new space plan, funding for successor to Hubble Telescope

There are no specific plans to send a man to the moon or to Mars, but the Harper government did lay out it’s vision for the Canadian Space Agency.

On Friday morning, Industry Ministry James Moore outlined his government’s Space Policy Framework — a document which he says “will guide Canada’s future in space.”

“As we approach Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017, we want to continue to support a strong, competitive and innovative space sector that will be here with us for the long-term,” Moore said at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa.

“We want to lead internationally building on the successes of Canada Arm, Canada Arm 2, Dexter, RADARSAT, and the tremendous success of Chris Hadfield.

The document — which is short on details — did lay out some macro priorities for the Agency: strengthening our economy, supporting the aerospace industry, working with our global partners and inspiring Canadians.

One specific announcement Moore did make was about the government’s continued support for the James Webb Telescope project, an international collaboration of about 17 countries. The government will invest $17 million in the project meant to replace the storied Hubble Telescope in 2018.

“The telescope will study every phase in the history of our Universe, ranging from the first luminous glows after the Big Bang, to the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth, to the evolution of our own Solar System,” notes a government press release.

The Feds will also establish a Canadian Space Advisory Council to be chaired by the President of the Canadian Space Agency to set future priorities.

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Canada’s space industry has had some dark days in recent years.

The industry has had to deal with competition from emerging nations such China, India; it suffered with the end of the U.S. space shuttle program; and has had to deal with deep budget cuts.

“Even smaller countries such as Belgium, Israel and Luxembourg spend more of their GDP on space than Canada does, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development,” the CBC News noted in a report from 2012.

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The Canadian aerospace industry is hoping that the new policy framework is the dawn of a new age.

“A long-term strategic plan for Canada’s space program is critical for our industry. In order to effectively invest in innovation, technology and product development, we rely heavily on knowing what the government’s priorities for the space program are,” Jim Quick, President and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC) said in a press release.

“We are very pleased that the government has released the Space Policy Framework, and we applaud Minister Moore and his colleagues for recognizing the importance of Canadian innovation and industry as we continue to build on our nation’s proud heritage in space.”

Our space industry adds over $3.3 billion annually to the Canadian economy and is responsible for employing just over 8,000 Canadians.

Moore didn’t answer reporter’s questions about whether the space agency will get a boost in funding in next week’s budget.

(Photo courtesy of Reuters)

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