Space Strategy for Canada
Delivering the Vision – Canada's Space Strategy (continued)
1 Ensure Canada remains a leading spacefaring nation by joining the lunar Gateway mission (continued)
- Enable scientific opportunities and global partnerships: Building on the Government's historic investment of nearly $4 billion in research and the next generation of scientists, Canada's participation in the Gateway will open new opportunities for space science in Canada, including global partnership opportunities for Canada's astronomers and planetary scientists to continue their efforts to probe the origins of the universe and explore new worlds. The Gateway's location in lunar orbit, outside Earth's magnetosphere, will allow Canadian researchers to perform observations in the fields of astrophysics, heliophysics, solar-terrestrial interactions and EO which are not possible from the ground or from Earth's orbit. In addition to studying the Moon, the Gateway will offer an exceptional vantage point to see our home planet from a new perspective. It will improve our understanding of solar storms and their effects on astronauts, spacecraft systems, and terrestrial infrastructure such as power lines and telecommunications systems. There is also still much to learn about the Moon, and Canada will seek to advance lunar science in domains defined by the Canadian science community, such as geology, geophysics and prospecting by landing and operating made-in-Canada scientific payloads on the lunar surface.
- Guarantee the future of our astronaut program: In , the Government provided $379 million for Canada's continued participation in the ISS and secured future Canadian astronaut flights to it, including astronaut David Saint-Jacques' mission, Expedition 58. On Canada Day , the Government also announced the addition of two new recruits to our corps of highly trained astronauts. They are ambassadors for our space program and models of excellence in science and leadership as well as a source of inspiration for Canadians young and old. Our plan guarantees flight opportunities in low Earth orbit for our astronauts and sets the stage for a Canadian to visit the Moon for the first time.
Canada's astronaut corps
The Canadian Space Agency's (CSA) astronauts are the most visible ambassadors of our country's space program. Canada's newest astronauts are currently being trained by Jeremy Hansen, who is the Supervisor of the Astronaut Class at NASA's Johnson Space Center. They are learning to support space missions in progress and preparing for future missions through extensive training. As modern-day explorers, these astronauts are a source of inspiration and pride for Canadians of all ages.