Canadian Space Agency's – Departmental Results Report: At a glance
A departmental results report provides an account of actual accomplishments against plans, priorities and expected results set out in the associated Departmental Plan.
Key priorities
The CSA's top priorities for – were as follows:
- Propelling space exploration through the Lunar Program
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) provided a wide range of funding opportunities for future Canadian science and technology activities in lunar orbit, on the Moon's surface, and beyond. Training for the first Canadian to travel to the Moon, development of a lunar rover, and conception of a state-of-the-art robotic system took place in –. - Adapting to climate change with space-based data
The Government of Canada announced $1.012 billion in funding of the RADARSAT+ initiative to maintain and increase the availability of SAR data to Canadians, which has enabled the CSA to prioritize the continued delivery of satellite Earth observation data to its national and international partners. Data from Earth Observation (EO) satellites is used by national and international partners in their efforts to monitor the environment – including Canada's vast forests, lakes and territories. It is also essential for the advancement of scientific knowledge, information and projections that underpin climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts. Finally, Canada's satellite EO data enhances our national and international partners' emergency response capacity. - Leveraging deep-space health and food innovations
Technologies developed for space exploration have the potential of being adapted for use in both space and on Earth, for example in applications within Northern and remote communities, where distance and harsh environments can lead to similar challenges. Activities like the Deep Space Food Challenge, the Deep Space Healthcare Challenge and the Health Beyond initiative advanced technologies that contribute to the development of low-input food production systems and remote health care here on Earth as well as in space. The CSA has also funded the development of biomedical analysis technologies to help monitor astronauts' health while on the International Space Station (ISS) which can also be used to monitor health in remote regions. - Building a resilient economy
The global space sector is forecasted to continue growing over the next decade, underlining the potential for further economic opportunities for Canadian firms, science and technologies. Considering this projected growth, CSA funding programs provided opportunities for the Canadian space industry and academia to scale up and compete on the global market. The Space Technology Development Program (STDP) continued supporting the development of innovative technologies with strong commercial potential while the Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP) provided a wide range of opportunities for Canadian lunar science and technology activities. The smartEarth initiative helped support Canadian organizations as well as universities and post-secondary institutions working on Satellite Earth Observation applications through investments. Building on the existing Canadian innovation ecosystem, the CSA continued the development of SpaceHub, a collaborative approach that would seek to position Canadian SMEs for success in global supply chains. The CSA has optimized its workspace and modernized its lab equipment for better service offerings to help the innovators develop their capacity or space solutions.
As part of meeting the commitment of Refocusing Government Spending, in –, the CSA reduced its spending by $8M by:
- Reducing professional services expenses, specifically consultants in management; and
- Reducing investments in CSA's existing space capacity development funding programs and activities.
Highlights
In –, total actual spending (including internal services) for the CSA was $450,747,210 and total full-time equivalent staff (including internal services) was 937 FTE. For complete information on the CSA's total spending and human resources, read the Spending and human resources section of the full report.
The following provides a summary of the department's achievements in – according to its approved Departmental Results Framework. A Departmental Results Framework consists of a department's core responsibilities, the results it plans to achieve and the performance indicators that measure progress toward these results.
Core responsibility 1: Canada in Space
Canada in Space highlights
Actual spending: $371,378,033
Actual human resources: 507.7
Departmental results achieved
- Canada remains a leading space-faring nation
- Space information and technologies improve the lives of Canadians
- Canada's investments in space benefit the Canadian economy
More information about Canada in Space can be found in the "Results – what we achieved" section of the full departmental results report.
Canada remains a leading space-faring nation
Investing in space fosters innovation and stimulates economic growth, propelling Canada to a brighter future. Space exploration also advances technological breakthroughs that can have tangible applications that improve the lives of Canadians here on Earth. Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen will be one of the four astronauts to go around the Moon before coming back to Earth. Canadian astronaut Jenni Gibbons has been announced as Jeremy Hansen's official backup. In –, the design work of Canadarm3 continued. The robotic system will be an integral element of the NASA-led Lunar Gateway, an international space station that will orbit the Moon and that will be essential for supporting a sustained human presence on the Moon. Joshua Kutryk, another CSA astronaut was also assigned a mission in – as part of Canada's fourth long duration flight to the International Space Station.
The CSA's contribution to the James Webb Space telescope (JWST), the most powerful and complex space observatory that has ever existed, continued to yield benefits for Canadian researchers in –. It earned them allocated time to use the JWST to delve deeper into the origins of the universe, advancing Canada's world-class expertise in astronomy. The CSA's expertise in planetary exploration was notably demonstrated via the CSA's participation in the OSIRIS-REx mission to bring a sample from asteroid Bennu back to Earth. This significant achievement will lead to Canada becoming the fifth country in the world to receive and curate a sample collected in space.
Space information and technologies improve the lives of Canadians
To ensure the continuity of essential EO satellite data, the Government announced $1.012 billion in funding for the RADARSAT+ initiative to ensure the continuation and resiliency of the RCM system, as well as to start the development of a next-generation RADARSAT system for Canada. These efforts will ensure that federal organizations can continue to use EO data to deliver a variety of quality services to Canadians. Access to quality EO data is key to make informed science-based decisions. Throughout –, RADARSAT-2, the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM), and SCISAT provided useful Earth Observation (EO) data that met the needs of governments, industry and academia around the world. The CSA also advanced the development of its three other recently announced EO satellite missions, including WildFireSat, Canada's first satellite to monitor wildfires; SWOT, which will be able to monitor a wide range of water body types; and, HAWC, which will be a part of NASA's Atmosphere Observing System and will provide information on aerosols, clouds, convection, and precipitation. EO data from the CSA's satellites has been instrumental in supporting various services from Canadian government agencies, including those related to natural disaster response, ecosystem monitoring, and national security.
Canada's investments in space benefit the Canadian economy
Space sparks innovation, generates transformative technologies and drives economic growth. Throughout –, the CSA funded innovative ideas stemming from the Canadian space industry through the STDP to help Canadian companies to scale up and thrive in this fast-paced market. The program provided contributions to Canadian organizations to support the development of innovative technologies with strong commercial potential. The CSA's expertise in space robotics and technology positions Canada as a sought-after partner in international space exploration endeavours. The LEAP initiative offered a wide range of opportunities for science and technology activities such as the development of a Canadian Lunar Rover Mission (LRM).
With the objective of enhancing the competitiveness of Canadian industry and generating growth and economic benefits for Canadians, the CSA launched a new wave of investments under the smartEarth initiative umbrella. smartEarth supports Canadian organizations, including universities and post-secondary institutions, to develop new applications using Canada's wealth of satellite EO data. The CSA also continued to support the development of Canada's next-generation space workforce by fostering interest in STEM through youth activities and by providing access to training and career development opportunities to postsecondary students.
More information about Canada in Space can be found in the full departmental plan.