Calian Debuts ATHORA Interoperability Platform and Cohere AI Partnership at CANSEC
Calian Group used the CANSEC exhibition to launch ATHORA, an open‑architecture system‑of‑systems platform that links communications, sensors and legacy assets across land, sea, air, space, cyber and electromagnetic domains. The company also announced a strategic partnership with Toronto‑based Cohere to embed the secure “North” generative‑AI environment into military training and decision‑support workflows. Both initiatives aim to reduce vendor lock‑in, protect Canadian data sovereignty and enable small‑and‑medium enterprises to contribute to defence solutions. Calian positions itself as the primary integrator in Canada’s defence supply chain to capture funding from the nation’s defence industrial plan.
MDA’s 49North and Voyageur Aviation Form Strategic Alliance to Target Domestic ISR Contracts
Voyageur Aviation, a Chorus Aviation subsidiary, and MDA Space’s defence arm 49North signed a non‑binding MOU to jointly pursue Canadian intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) contracts. The partnership blends Voyageur’s aircraft operations, hangar facilities and flight training with 49North’s digital...
Ontario Unveils Framework for 10-Year Defence Strategy Targeting Aerospace and Emerging Tech
Ontario unveiled its first Ontario Defence Industrial Strategy (ODIS), a 10‑year plan to expand the province’s defence manufacturing base with a strong emphasis on aerospace, space‑related technologies and dual‑use AI and quantum solutions. The strategy aims to capture a larger...
Canadian Consortium Led by NordSpace Awarded $3.2M From NGen for AI-Powered Space Propulsion Manufacturing
Markham‑based NordSpace Corp. is leading a Canadian consortium that secured CAD $3.2 million (≈US $2.4 million) from Next Generation Manufacturing Canada to fund an $8 million (≈US $5.9 million) AI‑powered hybrid additive‑subtractive manufacturing line for space propulsion. The partnership with Miltera, Pegmatis, Prime Powders and Bear Paw...
Horizons 2026: Industry Leaders Press Ottawa for Faster Action and Strategic Partnerships
At the Space Canada Horizons conference, industry leaders urged Ottawa to move from a client‑only role to a strategic partnership, warning that bureaucratic bottlenecks could leave Canada lagging behind trillion‑dollar rivals like SpaceX and Amazon. Panelists highlighted the need for...
Canadian Student Teams Head to Utah for the University Rover Challenge
From May 27‑30, four Canadian university teams will travel to Utah’s Mars Desert Research Station to compete in the 2026 University Rover Challenge. The competition gathers 38 finalists from 18 countries, each tasked with completing four rover missions worth a...
Maritime Launch Services Reports Q1 2026 Results, Anchored by $200M DND Spaceport Lease, Announces New Orbital Launch Agreement
Maritime Launch Services (MLS) posted its Q1 2026 results, marking its first revenue‑generating quarter after a landmark 10‑year lease with Canada’s Department of National Defence. The lease delivered a $200 million CAD ($148 million USD) payment, accounting for $921,649 CAD ($682 k USD) of the $946,603 CAD ($700 k USD) total...
Accelerating Space Defence: RCAF Generals Call for Sovereign Manoeuvre and Rapid Procurement
At the Space Canada Horizons conference, senior Royal Canadian Air Force leaders warned that space is now a contested domain and Canada can no longer rely on passive orbital assets. Brigadier‑General Christopher Horner called for "sovereign manoeuvre" – the ability...
CSA Releases 2025 State of the Space Sector Report: R&D Spending Surges as Broadcasting Continues Decline
The Canadian Space Agency’s 2025 State of the Space Sector Report shows the industry’s GDP contribution hit a record $3.8 billion CAD (≈$2.8 billion USD) in 2024, while total revenues slipped 1.2% to $5.0 billion CAD (≈$3.7 billion USD). R&D spending surged 48% year‑over‑year,...
DND and ISED Launch $5.5M in Challenges for Arctic Optical Comms and Quantum Repeaters
Canada’s Department of National Defence and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada have launched two Innovative Solutions Canada challenges totaling about $5.55 million CAD (≈ $4.1 million USD). The DND challenge funds a transportable optical ground station that fits a 20‑foot container, weighs...
NASA Aligns Space Technology Investments with Industry Shortfalls and Ignition Initiative
NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate released 40 primary technology focus areas for FY 2026, targeting capabilities needed for sustained lunar infrastructure and deep‑space exploration. The list derives from the 2026 Civil Space Shortfall Ranking, which gathered input from 454 industry, academic...
Alex MacDonald Urges Rapid Canadian Pivot to Lunar Surface Robotics
Former NASA Chief Economist Alex MacDonald warned Canada’s space agency to act now after NASA’s Ignition event paused the Lunar Gateway and the Canadarm3 role. He urged the CSA to shift funds and focus toward lunar surface robotics, securing Commercial Lunar...
Leadership Is Hard (Part II): The Leaders Who Don’t Want to Lead
The article examines founders who launch companies later in life after experiencing poor leadership in larger firms. These entrepreneurs are highly self‑directed and often assume their teams will thrive under the same autonomous style they prefer. However, younger employees frequently...
Starship Flight 12: SpaceX Debuts Redesigned Architecture
SpaceX is targeting Thursday for Starship flight 12, the first test of its next‑generation V3 architecture for both the Starship upper stage and Super Heavy booster, powered by Raptor 3 engines. The mission will launch from the newly built Pad 2, which...
PwC Report: Lunar Economy Projected to Generate up to US$127 Billion by 2050
PwC’s latest market assessment projects that the emerging lunar economy could generate as much as $127 billion in revenue by 2050. The forecast assumes cumulative infrastructure spending of $72.7‑$88.5 billion across five core pillars—mobility, communications, habitation, energy and water. Early operations will...