I recently had the opportunity to speak with CTV National News (wow) about Canada’s involvement in the Intuitive Machines mission to the Moon and the Canadian space industry as a whole.

I did not have "closing out @CTVNationalNews while discussing Canada's space industry" on my bingo card for 2024.

Was the least comprehensible part of my ramble shown on national television?

You bet!

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. Lots to improve. Huge W for the kid. pic.twitter.com/Z6cF0UDk5d

— rory 🍁 (@rory_mg) February 29, 2024

I prepared the below thoughts on what is happening in the Canadian space industry on Earth, the Moon, and beyond. In hindsight, this was probably a bit overkill, but if it taught me anything it’s that I have a deep passion to amplify the industry.

The Canadian space industry is more advanced than you may think.

Canadian hardware on the Moon—Canadensys & MDA

There are two pieces of Canadian hardware aboard Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander, Odysseus. 

One is a lunar landing sensor by MDA, based out of Brampton Ontario. You may recognize MDA’s name as they are the builder of the Canadarm1, Canadarm2, and soon, Canadarm3, which will be an autonomous arm that will operate aboard the Lunar Gateway, a NASA-led space station that will orbit the Moon.

Intuitive Machines tried to identify Odysseyus' location by firing 🇨🇦's @MDA_space laser range finder as they weren't able to determine its orbit.

But the laser didn't fire—the safety enable switch wasn't physically switched on, and they couldn't enable it with software. pic.twitter.com/ObZklGrCDd

— rory 🍁 (@rory_mg) February 23, 2024

The other company is Toronto’s Canadenys Aerospace, who provided imagers for Odysseus. This includes a dual camera 360-degree imaging system, which has provided all of those wonderful images you’ve seen of the mission to date.

This image of the 🇺🇸 Odysseus spacecraft was captured by a 🇨🇦 camera built by @Canadensys1

Soon, IM-2, ILO-1 & ILO-2 missions will use Canadensys hardware to:

🌌capture the 1st images of the Milky Way Galactic Center from the 🌑

🔭establish an observatory near the South Pole pic.twitter.com/NCpFo89pIg

— rory 🍁 (@rory_mg) February 24, 2024

Other Canadensys hardware on board includes two ILO-X cameras, which are mounted near the top of the lander. These cameras were built for the International Lunar Observatory Association. 

Their main goal is to take the first image of the Milky Way Galaxy from the surface of the Moon, which is a world first. By doing this, they aim to establish a permanent observatory from the Moon.

So all of this said, it is clear that Canada and the Canadian space industry have a major role in the global space industry, specifically on the Moon.

Canada will become the second country to go to the Moon—Artemis II

The biggest news out of last year in the Canadian space industry was the Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen being selected as one of four humans to travel around the Moon during the Artemis II mission, which is slated to launch no sooner than September 2025. 

📢IT'S OFFICIAL📢

JEREMY HANSEN (@Astro_Jeremy) will be the 1st Canadian to orbit the Moon, making Canada the 2nd country IN OUR WORLD to do so! 🇨🇦🚀🌝#Artemis 2: a 10-day mission that will circumnavigate the Moon

(🇨🇦 also has an additional seat for another Artemis mission!) pic.twitter.com/ctsEi0g5ly

— rory 🍁 (@rory_mg) April 3, 2023

Due to the trajectory of the mission, Hansen and his American counterparts will become the most traveled humans in our history. Hansen will become the first non-American to travel to the Moon, and the first Canadian to do so. 

If Hansen is unable to fly, then Canadian astronaut Jenni Gibbons will be his replacement. She is completing the same training as Hansen. Just this week, they both completed recovery training in the Pacific Ocean for when the Orion capsule splashes down just off the west coast of California.

👨‍🚀🇨🇦🚀

". @Astro_Kutryk will be the 4th Canadian astronaut to embark on the extended mission to the @ISS_Research on the CST-100 Starliner in early 2025 for a mission of 6 months" pic.twitter.com/lKsQHrKVn9

— rory 🍁 (@rory_mg) November 22, 2023

Now these aren’t the only Canadian astronauts with missions. Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk will fly to the International Space Station in 2025 aboard Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner, where he’ll spend six months in orbit conducting various experiments.

Today, 3 of 4 active Canadian astronauts have missions in space

👩‍🚀@Astro_Jenni : back up to @Astro_Jeremy for #ArtemisII, mission to the 🌑

👨‍🚀 @Astro_Kutryk: 6-month mission to the ISS during the Starliner-1 mission (2025). 1st 🇨🇦👨‍🚀to fly @NASA's Commercial Crew program

— rory 🍁 (@rory_mg) November 22, 2023

We love to celebrate human exploration in space, but what isn’t reported on as much is the hardware that is involved.

Canadensys—building to sustain life on the Moon

In addition to the Canadian hardware I mentioned that is currently on the Moon, Canadensys will also build Canada’s first lunar rover. They won this contract from the Canadian Space Agency’s Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP). 

The 30kg rover will be sent to the Moon’s south pole as early as 2026, and will help with the international search for water ice, which is a key component needed for the future of human exploration and a permanent presence on the Moon. 

Through a process called electrolysis, water ice can be split into oxygen, and hydrogen. Oxygen enables us to breath, and hydrogen enables us to create rocket fuel. This is a mega savings opportunity as we can essentially establish a gas station on the Moon to fuel up for future missions further in our galaxy.

I mentioned oxygen being produced from water ice. Oxygen and water are essential to grow vegetation and plant life. Canadenys has a couple of contracts with the Canadian Space Agency to develop a concept and key system elements for a lunar greenhouse.

Soon, Canadensys will combine my two driving passions in life—space exploration, and growing crops. 🌕🌱https://t.co/Ha0Fy1v35U#canadensys #canadianspaceagency #cdnspace #canadainspace @Canadensys1 @spacecanada

— rory 🍁 (@rory_mg) February 6, 2024

Canadian Space Mining Corporation—mining, nuclear power, and telehealth on the Moon

Speaking of contracts from the Canadian Space Agency, another company, the Canadian Space Mining Corporation, also holds a few contracts. One is to develop a prototype of their HYDRO+ technology which leverages gas reduction methods to process diverse ores and minerals from the Moon. 

Another contract is a connected care medical module that could deliver telehealth on the Moon. My favourite, which is straight out of science fiction, is their transportable nuclear fission reactor (Leunr). This technology can also be used back here on Earth in northern indigenous communities in Canada, which often rely on highly polluting diesel power to generate energy.

ICYMI @csmc_scms has received funding from @csa_asc to "evaluate prospecting in lunar orbit & on the surface"

They'll consider mining & construction capabilities + in-situ processing of resources

They're also working on a portable nuclear fission reactor—Project Leunr… pic.twitter.com/hHLc7dT6vc

— rory 🍁 (@rory_mg) February 3, 2024

Canada to become a launch-ready nation

Maritime Launch Services is developing a rocket launch facility out in Canso, Nova Scotia. This would enable Canada to be a commercial launch nation. They have received government approval and are aiming for their first suborbital launch in 2024, and first orbital launch in 2025. 

So instead of having to travel down to Cape Canaveral, Canadians can enjoy a launch from Canadian soil.

Maritime Launch Services’ business model is similar to an airport, they provide land, and rocket manufacturers pay to launch.

"𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗮 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮" 🚀🇨🇦

Here's Maritime Launch Services' President & CEO Stephen Matier presenting the latest updates on Spaceport Nova Scotia

🚀 MLS is aiming to launch their first suborbital launch in 2024,… pic.twitter.com/04eI5Dibqc

— rory 🍁 (@rory_mg) February 9, 2024

Montreal’s Reaction Dynamics is one Canadian company that has signed a memorandum of understanding to use the facility.

Reaction Dynamics recently completed a 30-second hot fire test of their regeneratively cooled rocket engine, the RE-101. This inches Canada one step closer to launching Canadian rockets into orbit.

But, they are not the only ones in this race. Toronto’s NordSpace also recently completed a hot fire test of its Hadfield engines.

The Canadian rocket race has begun—NordSpace has successfully tested its regeneratively cooled rocket engine, the Hadfield-10 🇨🇦🚀 pic.twitter.com/6ewzwbt08r

— rory 🍁 (@rory_mg) February 20, 2024

This marks the beginning of the great Canadian rocket race – we are eagerly waiting to see which Canadian company will be the first to launch a Canadian rocket into orbit.

Conclusion

This has only scratched the tip of the tip of the iceberg as to what is going on in the Canadian space industry. If you’ve read this far, you’re in good company—excited to have you here.