Online Encyclopedia
Canadian space program
Canada has contributed expertise and personnel to the world space effort, especially in collaboration with NASA.
Eight Canadians have participated on 11 NASA missions to date:
Name | Shuttle | Mission | Launch Date | Notes |
Marc Garneau | Challenger | STS-41-G | October 5, 1984 | First Canadian in space |
Roberta Bondar | Discovery | STS-42 | January 22, 1992 | First Canadian woman in space |
Steven MacLean | Columbia | STS-52 |
October 22, 1992
|
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Chris Hadfield | Atlantis | STS-74 | November 12, 1995 | |
Marc Garneau | Endeavour | STS-77 | May 19, 1996 | |
Robert Thirsk | Columbia | STS-78 | June 20, 1996 | |
Bjarni Tryggvason | Discovery | STS-85 | August 7, 1997 | |
Dafydd Williams | Columbia | STS-90 | April 17, 1998 | |
Julie Payette | Discovery | STS-96 | May 27, 1999 | |
Marc Garneau | Endeavour | STS-97 | November 30, 2000 | |
Chris Hadfield | Endeavour | STS-100 | April 19, 2001 | First spacewalk by a Canadian |
Owing to the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, two further shuttle flights (Steve MacLean in May 2003 and Dave Williams in November 2003) have been put on hold. Two Canadian experiments were destroyed in the loss of Columbia.
Some aspects of Canada's space experience:
The Canadarm (on the Space Shuttle), the Mobile Servicing System (on the International Space Station), and the Advanced Space Vision System which makes it possible to use them efficiently.
Canadian satellites:
- Alouette 1
- Alouette 2
- Anik A1
- Anik F1
- CASSIOPE
- Hermes Communications Technology Satellite
- ISIS-I
- MOST
- Nimiq 1
- RADARSAT-1
- SCISAT-1
Canada's space program is administered by the Canadian Space Agency. The current president of the CSA is Marc Garneau.