The UK Space Agency and Canadian Space Agency have signed an
enhanced MoU to further areas of cooperation and information
sharing on space.
The agreement, signed by UK Space Agency CEO Paul Bate and
Canadian Space Agency President Lisa Campbell, builds on the
initial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two
agencies signed in 2021: a framework for collaborative activities
and the exchange of information, technology and personnel between
both nations.
The signing took place during the 39th Space Symposium, an annual
event in Colorado Springs that brings together space leaders from
around the globe to discuss, address and plan for the future.
UK Space Agency Chief Executive, Dr Paul Bate, said:
The renewal of the MoU with our Canadian colleagues will bring
further significant benefits to the thriving space industries of
the UK and Canada, allowing us to continue achieving our goals in
space through collaborative efforts in research and innovation.
Canada is a key partner for us, and we are keen to bolster this
relationship in ways that will strengthen both countries' space
sectors - enabling us to harness the power of space to bring
benefits to our planet and its people.
The MoU provides a more detailed framework for enhanced bilateral
collaboration between the UK and Canada on space activities. This
includes collaboration on regulation, facilitating the exchange
of ideas and information on areas such as space policy,
standards, and regulations, helping to ensure free and fair
access to space for all.
The agreement also boosts collaboration in exploration and space
science by identifying areas where both nations can leverage
their world-class space academic and technology capabilities.
This bilateral cooperation aims to support future exploration
endeavours, including potential lunar habitats, and to advance
our understanding of the Universe.
There are significant opportunities for future collaborations
through initiatives such as the UK Space Agency's International Bilateral
Fund (IBF)and the Science & Exploration
Bilateral Programme.
The IBF is already funding a collaboration between UK start-up
Physical Mind London and Canadian tech company Baune. The project
incorporates Physical Mind London's pioneering HIFIm
multi-exercise countermeasure unit into the Canadian Space
Agency's Connected Care Medical Module.
The HIFIm device is designed to provide a full menu of exercise
options in a confined space, helping to advance understanding of
health and wellness interventions for astronauts.
The IBF has also funded the joint UK-Canada £1.2 million Aqualunar Challenge. The new
international challenge prize - delivered by Challenge Works on
behalf of the UK Space Agency and in collaboration with the
Canadian Space Agency and Impact Canada - is rewarding the design
of innovative technologies to make human habitation on the Moon
viable, by finding ways to purify water buried beneath the lunar
surface.
The Science & Exploration Bilateral Programme is supporting a
potential UK-Canada partnership on CASTOR. An astronomy mission
currently under study by the Canadian Space Agency, CASTOR will
fill a gap in current observing capabilities, by providing state
of the art imaging and spectroscopy in ultraviolet and
optical-blue wavelengths.
The UK has begun work on the development and space qualification
programme for advanced imaging technology from Teledyne e2v and
the associated electronics, along with contributions to the
scientific data processing. This is carried out by a UK
consortium led by UKRI-STFC's Astronomy Technology Centre
(Edinburgh), with the UK Space Agency providing £3.3 million to
fund UK participation in this early phase work.
The programme is also funding the early study phase for a
proposed space science collaboration, between The Open University
and Canada – the International Mars Ice Mapper (I-MIM).
This is to study high performance detectors for use on an
instrument, which would map accessible water ice deposits on the
Martian surface.
