Jocelyn Ghent-Mallett discusses Canadian space policy and International co-operation

Uploaded on November 19, 2021

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Jocelyn Ghent-Mallett discusses Canadian space policy and International co-operation

2021-11-19 – Jocelyn Ghent-Mallett, former Director General of Policy and Planning, Canadian Space Agency. (Credits: Canadian Space Agency, NASA)

Jocelyn Ghent-Mallett:

International cooperation is a cornerstone of Canadian space policy and always has been. It was the only means by which we could achieve our goals, whether that was in communications, remote-sensing science, or technology development.

It’s not just a politically attractive thing, although there is a political aspect to it, but it was an essential means by which we got to where we needed to be, so it allowed us to lower the cost of programs.

I mean, can you imagine if we couldn’t – we couldn’t possibly afford a launch installation here. So, right from the very beginning back to Alouette, we – international cooperation was essential for launching our satellites’ technology. Or the instruments we were flying [on] other people’s satellites, it was key to industry as well. Allowed our industry to team up with other foreign companies.

It just – the program couldn’t have happened without it. And, as you know, space is, by definition, international, right.

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