Canadian space program
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Overview
Canada has contributed technology, expertise and personnel to the world space effort, especially in collaboration with NASA and the ESA.
Space Missions
Eight Canadians have participated on 11 NASA manned 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.
In addition to its astronauts, some of the most notable Canadian technological contributions to space exploration are the Canadarm (on the Space Shuttle) and the Canadarm2 and the rest of the Mobile Servicing System (on the International Space Station). The Canadarm and Canadarm2 are assisted by the Advanced Space Vision System allowing more efficient use of the robotic arms.
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.