Celebrating the Benefits from MDA’s Canadarm
MDA has designed, built, and supported iconic space robotic solutions, right here in Brampton, for more than 40 years, spanning 90 NASA Space Shuttle missions, and nearly 18 years of Canadarm2 operations on the International Space Station. This work has led to 200,000 person years of high tech jobs across Canada, and over $1.8B in space robotics exports to other nations. Canada’s investment in these robotic solutions, a major part of our country’s contribution to NASA missions, has enabled 16 Canadian astronaut flights, which have in turn inspired generations of youth to shoot for the stars and pursue their dreams through education in science and technology related fields. Here on Earth, MDA has been able to “spin off” robotics for brainsurgery, breast cancer diagnosis, and automated manufacturing as a result of its Canadarm expertise.
Time to Go Further! Deep Space Robotics
In recent weeks, the international community has started to commit to the next generation of space exploration and build a new Lunar Orbital Platform – a ‘Gateway’ space station that will orbit the Moon. The Gateway will support lunar habitation and exploration by rovers, and be a launch point and communications hub for vessels travelling onwards
to Mars. The first human flight to Mars is planned for 2030, and then habitats and rovers will be needed on Mars too! It’s time for deep space! Canada, the 3rd country into space, has the opportunity to continue its leadership in space robotics, space rovers and space medicine. A commitment by Canada today to participate in the Gateway project will accelerate the next generation of innovation in space technology and space medicine, and bring about huge advances here on Earth in robotics, artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles and tele-medicine for remote communities. Visit www.mdacorporation.com for more information.
