Canada has selected two-time space shuttle veteran Steve MacLean to serve as president of the Canadian Space Agency. He replaces Guy Bujold, who has headed up the agency on an interim basis since January.
MacLean currently serves as CSA’s Chief Astronaut, coordinating activities for the space agency’s small astronaut corps. The agency is currently reviewing 5,000 applications to fill two open slots in the group.
MacLean’s official NASA bio states:
“From October 22 to November 1, 1992, Steve MacLean flew onboard Space Shuttle Columbia as a Payload Specialist for Mission STS-52. During this mission, he performed a set of seven experiments known as CANEX-2, which included the evaluation of the Space Vision System.
“MacLean was the Chief Science Advisor for the International Space Station from 1993 until 1994, when he was appointed Director General of the Canadian Astronaut Program for two years.
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The Canadian government has reaffirmed its rejection of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates plans to sell its space division to American defense contractor Alliant Technosystems (ATK).
Ottawa rejected the $1.3 billion sale last month as not being of net benefit to Canada. MDA had 30 days to convince Industry Minister Jim Prentice to reverse the decision. That period expired on Thursday.
Prentice did announce a four-year, $109-million contract between the Canadian Space Agency and MDA. However, company officials said this was merely a renewal of a long-standing contract that did nothing to provide direction to a drifting Canadian space program, the Vancouver Sun reported.
“The space file in Canada has been neglected for quite a while,” said Mag Iskander, MDA’s executive vice-president for information systems. “In real terms, government expenditures in this space have been declining. We are hoping with this new resurgence of interest by the minister and the government they will engage in a serious long-term space plan, similar to what we had in the past.
“I am not talking about handouts. I’m talking about contracts that meet the needs of Canadians,” Iskander said.
CSA PRESS RELEASE
Longueuil, Quebec, March 31, 2008 – The Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry Canada and the Minister responsible for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), announced at the Agency headquarters today that the CSA will begin a national astronaut recruitment campaign at the end of May 2008, to select astronauts to join its Canadian Astronaut Corps.
“Canadians are inspired when they see our astronauts in space, and they will be proud to learn that even more Canadian astronauts are about to be recruited,” said Minister Prentice. “I am pleased to join the Canadian Space Agency to announce this new national astronaut recruitment campaign. By May 2009, two astronaut candidates will be selected and will begin their training to represent Canada in future space exploration missions.”
Continue reading ‘Canadian Space Agency to Recruit New Astronauts’
