SUMITRA RAJAGOPALAN:
Canada's home to some cool space science
CBC News Viewpoint | Oct. 14, 2004 | More from Sumitra Rajagopalan
Sumitra Rajagopalan has been writing on science and technology and its impact on society and public policy for the last six years. To date, she has written for the Washington Post, the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, the Montreal Gazette and the Times of India. She is adjunct professor of mechanical engineering at McGill University. Sumitra is involved in a wide range of science outreach programs in Montreal-area schools.
Dr. Marc Garneau, President of the Canadian Space Agency, at the International Astronautics Congress in Vancouver, Oct. 5, 2004. (CP Photo)
|
"Not another article on space!" groaned a colleague, as I contemplated a column to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Marc Garneau's maiden shuttle flight on Oct. 4, 1984. "Haven't you written enough about it already?"
"Canadians are just janitors in space," snorted another fellow scientist. Then,
he raised his arms and made slow, choppy movements like the Canadarm, with a Labatte Bleu and a lighter standing in as payloads. The others laughed. I scribbled furiously.
My media colleagues were no kinder. "They are just an appendage of NASA," roared a reporter at Radio-Canada. "Want to know more about Canada in space?" asked a colleague at the Ottawa Citizen, "go ask NASA."
In all fairness, these snippets occurred before last week's Spacefest – the 20th-anniversary bash highlighting the achievements of the Canadian space program. Space leaders the world over gathered in Vancouver to commemorate the anniversary and discuss the future of space travel.
The Canadian Space Program has plenty to be proud of these days. Telesat's Anik F2, the largest commercial communications satellite, became fully operational last week, following final on-orbit testing. Also, Dextre, the Canadian dual-armed robot, has been handpicked to rescue the ailing Hubble telescope. And then there's NEEMO-7, the Canadian astronaut-led mission to demonstrate remote-controlled surgery underwater.
The future is dazzling as we witness cutting-edge work within the aluminum-tinselled edifice that is the Canadian Space Agency.
In anticipation of a Canadian-led mission to Mars, engineers are developing
prototypes of hopping, crawling, and even flying, micro-robots to negotiate
the rugged Martian terrain.
As part of an effort to design more intelligent and autonomous space robots, CSA engineers have designed modular space robots. Like Proteus, the mythical sea god, modular robots mysteriously take on various shapes and forms on demand.
There are other pockets of cool science at the CSA: self-healing materials,
smart radar shields, shape-memory alloys and lithe antennas that unravel like
tree leaves are but a few examples.
You won't find any of this stuff in its official press releases. For some
reason, the CSA reveals little of its in-house projects, even though many
of those projects are quite newsworthy.
That diffidence, combined with its largely supporting role on the
international scene, reminds me of a bahu – a traditional Hindu
daughter-in-law, dignified but demure, always walking a few steps behind family "elders" like NASA and the Russian space agency.
Certainly, a national space program should provide socioeconomic benefits, rather than be driven solely by international prestige. And on that score, the Canadian Space Program is a winner all the way.
But a space program is not all about serving society and meeting mundane needs. It is also there to inspire and uplift, and, yes, give us the goosebumps – much like the space program back home.
Near the Indian town of Thiruvananthapuram, amid ancient coconut groves and fishermen's enclaves, looms a rocket launcher. The contrast could not be more jarring. Yet, a perfect setting for a rocket launch.
Watching the fishermen revel in childlike delight at the sight, from the resounding rumble to its rise toward the skies, is enough to give you a lump in the throat. It tears them away from the mundane and raises their morale.
It might not bring food to the table, but it does nourish their spirit. At that moment, the rocket launch becomes their inspirational Bollywood movie – only with real-life heroes.
Back in Canada, we do not have these "Bollywood moments" but we do have a hero in Marc Garneau. Twenty years after his maiden shuttle flight, he continues to battle gravity. He wants Canada to play "more than just a supporting role" and "shine on the world stage," all while being bogged down by shoestrings.
But the agency might have found a way around the piddling $300 million allocated to it annually. With Anik F-2 fully operational, the CSA has proved that it can carry out expensive, large-scale missions by partnering with the private sector.
Also, the two Canadian teams that were, till recently, vying for the X-Prize point to a growing grassroots movement in the country that could join forces with the CSA. Buoyed by the public interest, Garneau has alluded to Canada possibly investing in expendable launch vehicles.
That's a terrific idea because the absence of independent launching facilities could be part of the reason why the Canadian space program has failed to capture the national imagination.
While Canadian robots and satellites are known for their near-flawless performance, there's nothing like a rocket or shuttle launch to give you the goosebumps and get you all fuzzy inside. And this holds true for everyone – from the crowds at Cape Canaveral to the fishermen at Thiruvananthapuram.
All in all, the 20th anniversary of Marc Garneau's maiden flight dovetailing with last week's X-Prize-winning flight should set the stage for the years to come. With Garneau at the helm, a thriving space industry, and the prospect of private space travel and launch vehicles, the CSA has the wherewithal, not only to maintain its edge in niche areas, but also to seek higher ground.
Lastly, if the CSA wants to keep interest in space alive, it should not wait for the next birthday bash. It could share its exciting work with the rest of us earthlings, and by this I mean developments as they unfold, not those staid after-the-fact press releases.
In an academic paper on the Canadian Space Program, renowned space policy researcher Roger Handberg praised the program's technological excellence and emphasis on "social returns," rather than desire for international prestige.
But he also had this to say: "Canadian space technology is world-class," he notes, but it would have to rethink its policies if it wants to compete with the world's bigwigs.
"Otherwise," he warns, "there is a danger of Canada remaining a cog in other
nations' [space] plans." Touché.
LETTERS:
Keep beating the tribal drums, Sumitra, and slowly more will join the
dance. In my youth I was disappointed in the lack of a space program
in Canada and the exclusion of NASA to the Americans. That turned around
when Marc hooked a ride into space, albeit with NASA; it encouraged
me. In 1991 I applied to the CSA astronaut program and was put on
the 6 month waiting list, but I would not be picked. I felt honored
that a fellow Engineer, Julie Payette got the spot instead (whom I
met later in 1999). Now I labor away on my PhD on natural life forms
in hopes of entering the space program through the robotics you
mentioned in your article. On to Mars, then the stars.
Rob Chapman
^TOP
CBC Ombudsman
|
|
 |
 MENU |
|
|
| ABOUT VIEWPOINT: |
Viewpoint is CBC.ca's place for informed opinion and commentary. Our goal is to provide a range of informed perspectives from around the world and here at home on issues of interest to Canadians. All material published in the Viewpoint section is subject to CBC’s journalistic policy, standards and practices.
Writing for Viewpoint
We accept queries from people with significant expertise in their field and previous writing experience. We are interested in domestic and international contributions. We do not accept unsolicited finished pieces.
If you want to contribute to Viewpoint, please send your query to letters@cbc.ca with VIEWPOINT in the subject line and please include three samples of your published work. Columns are typically 800 words in length and focus on timely issues, events or personal stories with wide appeal. Please familiarize yourself with our content before submitting your ideas. Only those accepted will be contacted.
|
|
| FEEDBACK: |
|
|
| MORE: |
|
|
|
