Tag: Canadarm2

Canadarm2 to Capture Dragon Cargo Ship as Canadian Science Continues

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Spacewalker Luca Parmitano is guided on the Canadarm2 robotic arm toward the work site on the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, the space station’s cosmic particle detector. (Credit: NASA)

LONGUEUIL, Quebec (CSA PR) — On December 4, SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft will launch from Cape Canaveral aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, destined for the International Space Station (ISS).

Three days later, European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano and NASA’s Jessica Meir will use Canadarm2 to capture the unpiloted vehicle. Robotics flight controllers will then berth it to the Station, where it is expected to remain for about a month.

The resupply mission includes equipment for ongoing Canadian heart study Vascular Aging:

  • two glucose test kits, which help researchers measure insulin resistance in space; and
  • three Bio-Monitor smart shirts, part of an innovative Canadian-made system that simplifies scientific data collection by easily tracking astronaut vital signs in space.

The upcoming cosmic catch marks a return to more typical activities for the 17-metre-long robotic arm. During recent spacewalks to repair the  ISS‘s cosmic particle detector, Canadarm2 served as a support for Parmitano, who was anchored to Canadarm2’s foot restraint. Throughout the operations, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen guided the spacewalkers from the Mission Control Center in Houston.

Live coverage of Dragon’s launch will be available on NASA TV on  Dec. 4, beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET. Rendezvous and capture operations will also be broadcast on December 7, starting at 4:30 a.m. ET.

NASA to Broadcast Departure of Cygnus Cargo Ship From Station

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April 19, 2019: International Space Station Configuration. Five spaceships are docked at the space station including Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus space freighter and Russia’s Progress 71 and 72 resupply ships and the Soyuz MS-11 and MS-12 crew ships. (Credit: NASA)

HOUSTON (NASA PR) — More than three months after delivering several tons of supplies and scientific experiments to the International Space Station, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft, the SS Roger Chaffee, will depart the orbiting laboratory Tuesday, Aug. 6.

Live coverage of the craft’s release will air on NASA Television and the agency’s website beginning at noon EDT, with release scheduled for 12:15 p.m.

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Canadarm2 Spinoff Technology Transforming Surgery on Earth

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Operating room (Credit: Synaptive Medical/Cicada Design Inc.)

LONGUEUIL, Quebec (CSA PR) — Since its space debut in 1981, Canadarm has made its mark on the world stage. In exchange for Canadarm’s vital contributions to NASA‘s space shuttle program, Marc Garneau was granted a seat aboard Space Shuttle Challenger as part of Mission STS-41-G in 1984, making him the first Canadian astronaut to launch to space.

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Canada Post Unveils Postage Stamp Celebrating Canadarm

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Deepak Chopra, President and CEO of Canada Post, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen unveiled the Canadarm stamp together. (Credit: Canada Post)

Astronaut Jeremy Hansen unveils Canadarm stamp to celebrate Canadian achievements in robotics, science and technology.

TORONTO (Canada Post PR) — At approximately 9 a.m. EST, on November 13, 1981, the Canadarm was deployed from the Shuttle Columbia’s cargo bay for the first time. This marvel of Canadian engineering weighed less than 480 kilograms, and could lift more than 30,000 kilograms – the approximate weight of a city bus – using less power than an electric kettle.

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MDA Continues Support for ISS Robotics

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Dextre at the end of Canadarm2. (Credit: NASA)
Dextre at the end of Canadarm2. (Credit: NASA)

RICHMOND, BC (MDA PR) — MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (“MDA” or the “Company”) (TSX: MDA), a global communications and information company, announced today it has signed a contract amendment with the Canadian Space Agency for CA$35 million. The amendment provides funding for continued support to the ongoing robotic operations of the Mobile Servicing System on the International Space Station (ISS).

The Mobile Servicing System comprises Canadarm2, the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator known as “Dextre,” and the Mobile Base System. These three robotic systems perform a variety of operations ranging from resupply, maintenance, and servicing tasks on the space station that are critical to the on-going operations of the ISS.

About MDA

MDA is a global communications and information company providing operational solutions to commercial and government organizations worldwide.

MDA’s business is focused on markets and customers with strong repeat business potential, primarily in the Communications sector and the Surveillance and Intelligence sector. In addition, the Company conducts a significant amount of advanced technology development.

MDA’s established global customer base is served by more than 4,800 employees operating from 13 locations in the United States, Canada, and internationally.

The Company’s common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “MDA.”











Dextre to Assist Astronauts in Installing New Docking Port on Friday

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Dextre at the end of Canadarm2 preparing to remove cargo from Dragon. (Credit: NASA)
Dextre at the end of Canadarm2 preparing to remove cargo from Dragon. (Credit: NASA)

LONGEUIL, QC (CSA PR) — Dextre, the Canadian robotic handyman on board the International Space Station (ISS), will have a very important job to do from August 17 to 19, 2016. Dextre will convert an existing docking port on the ISS into a spaceport able to welcome the upcoming new US commercial crew vehicles. This means that crew vehicles other than the Russian Soyuz will be able to dock to the ISS. An International Docking Adapter (IDA) was designed to convert the port and was shipped to the ISS on board SpaceX’s latest Dragon cargo ship. Next, Canada’s robots are being called in to do the heavy lifting.
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Canada’s Advanced Vision System to Inspect Space Station

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Rendering of Dextre on the end of Canadarm2, holding an advanced vision system. (Credit: CSA/Neptec)
Rendering of Dextre on the end of Canadarm2, holding an advanced vision system. (Credit: CSA/Neptec)

LONGUEUIL, QC, Jan. 7, 2016 (CSA PR) – A contract to develop a new advanced space vision system that will be mounted on Dextre was announced today by the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Minister Bains was joined by Greg Fergus, Parliamentary Secretary, and Sherry Romanado, Member of Parliament for Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne.

The contract, worth $1.7 million, was awarded to Neptec Design Group Ltd. of Ottawa, Ontario, to develop the design for the system, which will be launched in 2020.

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Canada Increases Commitment to Space Program

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CSAOTTAWA, ONT. (CSA PR) — Industry Minister James Moore was joined today in Ottawa by Commander Chris Hadfield and astronauts Jeremy Hansen and David Saint-Jacques where he announced Canada’s commitment to fly two Canadian astronauts to space by 2024.

The announcement is the result of the Government of Canada’s decision to renew Canada’s participation in the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS is a joint endeavour among space agencies from Canada, the United States, Japan, Russia, and the European Union. Canada is the 3rd country to extend its participation until 2024.

Today’s announcement follows in the footsteps of Col. Chris Hadfield’s historic mission as Commander of the ISS. This commitment will ensure that both Jeremy Hansen and David Saint-Jacques, Canada’s active astronauts will fly to space. It also signals Canada’s involvement in future space missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

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CSA Partners With SickKids Centre to Develop KidsArm

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LONGUEIL, Quebec (CSA PR) — Not much rivals the dexterity of a good surgeon’s hands. But humans being humans, fatigue or even tremors after a long day at the hospital can make things challenging, especially when operating on small children.

That is why Toronto’s SickKids Centre for Image-Guided Innovation & Therapeutic Intervention (CIGITI) turned to the Canadian space technology behind Canadarm, Canadarm2 and Dextre and partnered with MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) to develop KidsArm.

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From Orbit to Operating Rooms, Space Station Technology Translates to Tumor Treatment

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The neuroArm merges machine technology derived from the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 with microsurgery. (Credit: Project neuroArm, University of Calgary)
The neuroArm merges machine technology derived from the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 with microsurgery. (Credit:
Project neuroArm, University of Calgary)

CALGARY, Alberta (NASA PR) — People commonly use rocket science or brain surgery to refer to something incredibly complex and difficult. No wonder, then, that combining the two could result in something wonderful.

Powerful robotic arms developed by the Canadian Space Agency for the space shuttle and International Space Station – Canadarm and Canadarm2 – and a delicate surgical tool, dubbed neuroArm, are examples of the “wonderful things” that can happen when experts from different disciplines work together, says Garnette Sutherland, M.D.

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Canadarm2 Ready to Berth Dragon

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CSA PR — “Here, there be dragons”…the phrase used to designate the boundaries of the known world on historical maps seems fitting as the US space program embarks upon a new frontier in space exploration with the launch of the first commercial demonstration flight to the International Space Station. However, rarely were the monsters of yore as eagerly anticipated as SpaceX’s Dragon, the first privately built cargo ship destined for the orbiting outpost.

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Canadaarm2 to Catch a Dragon on ISS Flight

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CSA PR — “Here, there be dragons”…the phrase used to designate the boundaries of the known world on historical maps seems fitting as the US space program embarks upon a new frontier in space exploration with the launch of the first commercial demonstration flight to the International Space Station. However, rarely were the monsters of yore as eagerly anticipated as SpaceX’s Dragon, the first privately built cargo ship destined for the orbiting outpost.

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Canadarm2 Turns 10

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Longueuil, Quebec, April 19, 2011 – Ten years ago today, Canadarm2 was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. A larger, more robust successor to the Shuttle’s Canadarm, Canadarm2 has provided a full decade of flawless service as the Station’s sophisticated “construction crane,” having assembled the ISS module by module in space.

Canadarm2 has unloaded hundreds of tons of equipment and supplies ferried by the shuttle and assisted almost 100 spacewalks. Endeavour’s last flight later this month will mark Canadarm2’s 28th Shuttle mission. Additionally, the robotic arm performed two “cosmic catches” where it captured, docked and later released two unpiloted Japanese resupply ships (HTV-1 and HTV-2).

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Astronauts Assemble Dextre Robot During Spacewalk

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Space.com has an update on the assembly of Dextre, the International Space Station’s new robot. Astronauts Rick Linnehan and Mike Foreman conducted a 7-hour spacewalk on Saturday in which they had to wrestle with a couple of stuck bolts. Aside from that, they were successful in assembling the Canadian-built maintenance robot on the end of Canadarm2.











Dextre installed and activated on ISS

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Engineers have successfully installed and activated the International Space Station’s new Dextre robot, ABC News reports. Engineers solved an earlier power problem that they linked to a faulty circuit.

The Canadian-built Dextre is a sophisticated robot that will perform maintenance and other tasks on the space station’s interior that are now performed by astronauts. Astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory and engineers on the ground will be able to control the robot by remote control.