The federal government intends to award the construction contract for the all-new Canadarm3 for the future Gateway moon station to the Canadian company MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Inc. (MDA), which will not be planning its similar project.
It was the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Navdeep Bains who announced this new collaboration with MDA. The latter has notably participated in the Canadarm, Canadarm 2 and Dextre projects for the past four decades.
“Canadarm3 will include a new generation robotic arm, a small, agile arm and a series of specialized tools. The advanced vision, advanced software and advances in the field of artificial intelligence will allow this autonomous system to function without human intervention, “said the Canadian Space Agency.
When fully built, Canadarm3 will be added to the Gateway project, a lunar space station that will become “the next major international space exploration mission manned after that of the very successful International Space Station”. The United States is leading this project, which Canada joined in 2019.
On its website, the Canadian Space Agency specifies that the large arm will be 8.5 meters long. It will be used to maintain, repair and inspect the Gateway station, catch spacecraft and move modules from the station. In addition, he will be able to help astronauts during their space walks and will be able to conduct scientific experiments in orbit and on the surface of the Moon.
It is also specified that a small arm – which will be part of the robotic system – will be used to transfer the equipment, while the Canadarm3 will be able to carry out its own maintenance and repairs by changing the necessary parts. Finally, the arm will be able to move “from one place to another on the Gateway station by fixing its ends (its“ hands ”) in turn to special terminals. Each terminal will provide power, data transmission and a video link. ”
It is estimated that hundreds of companies in the country will participate in its development, especially in the fields of innovation and emerging technologies.
“The Canadarm3 that we are committed to providing to the lunar space station Gateway will create well-paying jobs, generate economic benefits for Canadians, and allow the Canadian space sector to remain a leader and to grow” said Minister Bains.
In February 2019, the Trudeau government released $ 2.05 billion over 24 years to participate in initiatives to explore the Moon, which includes the construction of this new Canadian arm. The potential fallout from this investment is estimated at $ 135 million per year, in addition to the creation of 1,300 jobs.
It is estimated that the arm will need to be ready in the mid-2020s, once the architecture of the Gateway station is fully defined.
MDA, founded in 1969 in British Columbia, was owned by American interests for a few years. It became Canadian again last April after being bought by a consortium led by a Toronto investment firm.
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