Explore

Although they often go unseen by the public eye, Canada has had many contributions to space exploration. You have already learned about the Canadarm and the Canadarm2 (which is currently mounted on the International Space Station). However, there are also some that are slightly less well known. In this activity, you will learn about other Canadian contributions to space exploration.

Dextre

You now know about the Canadarm, but have you heard of Dextre? Dextre is the third Canadian robotic arm used on the International Space Station (ISS). Dextre is used with the Canadarm and acts like a hand. It can do jobs usually done by astronauts and ones that require precise work. The most sophisticated space robot ever built, Dextre is a space handyman with a mission: to keep the ISS ship-shape. Dextre's role is to perform maintenance work and repairs like changing batteries and replacing cameras outside the ISS.

Having Dextre on call reduces the amount of risky spacewalks to do routine chores, thus giving astronauts more time for science, the main goal of the ISS.

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Click on the Play button below to watch a computer-animated video that shows Dextre retrieving OPALS (Optical PAyload for Lasercomm Science) from inside a cargo ship and installing it on the exterior of the International Space Station.

Canadian Weather Technology

The Phoenix Mars Lander includes Canadian weather technology to study the planet's polar climate. The Phoenix Mission (May 25, 2008) marked the first time that Canada, as a nation, landed on the surface of Mars. Canada's meteorological station recorded the daily weather at the landing site. It measured Mars's temperature and pressure and probed clouds, fog, and dust in Mars's lower atmosphere. Most significantly, the weather station confirmed that it snows on Mars by detecting snowflakes falling from clouds about four kilometres above the spacecraft's landing.

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The Canadian Space Agency

The mandate of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is to promote the peaceful use and development of space, to advance the knowledge of space through science, and to ensure that space science and technology provide social and economic benefits for Canadians.

The CSA is also responsible for the Canadian Astronaut Program, which manages the selection, training, and space flights of Canadian astronauts. Several Canadians have participated in shuttle missions. Read about some of these Canadian astronauts below, including Col. Dr. Dave Williams (1995) and Julie Payette (1999) — the first Canadian to participate in an International Space Station mission and the first to board the station.

Click on the Play button below to watch a video on the history of the Canadian Space Agency.

Dr. Marc Garneau was the first Canadian astronaut in space. He worked in the Canadian Navy before becoming an astronaut. He went into space three times: 1984, 1996, and 2000.

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Dr. Roberta Bondar became the first Canadian woman astronaut to go into space in 1992. She is a neurologist and has several degrees.

Col. Chris Hadfield was the first Canadian Astronaut to walk in space, operate the Canadarm, and command the International Space Station (1995, 2001, 2012).

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Digging Deeper

Click on the Play button below to watch a video that further explains Canada's contributions to space exploration.

Click here to go to a Prezi where you will review some of the things that you learned about in this lesson as well as learn about a few more contributions that Canada has made to space exploration. When you get to the presentation, click on the right-hand arrow to begin. To move through the presentation, keep clicking on the arrow.