Recent Posts
News•Feb 5, 2026
Canada Ranks as the 5th Largest Starlink Market
Ookla’s 2025 Global Satellite Broadband Performance Report confirms Starlink’s dominance, placing Canada as the fifth‑largest market after the United States, Mexico, Indonesia and Brazil. By mid‑2025 more than 500,000 Canadians had subscribed to the service, reflecting rapid consumer uptake. After a slowdown in download and upload speeds from 2021 to 2023, Starlink’s performance in Canada has sharply improved. Competitors such as Eutelsat OneWeb, Viasat and upcoming Amazon LEO and Telesat Lightspeed hold minimal share, but could challenge Starlink’s near‑monopoly.
By SpaceQ
News•Feb 4, 2026
Operational Resilience Is the New Gold Standard in Defence SatCom
The Global Satellite Operators Association webinar highlighted operational resilience as the emerging gold standard for defence satellite communications. Panelists from ST Engineering iDirect, SES, MDA Space and Global Invacom argued that static, encrypted links must evolve into dynamic, multi‑orbit networks...
By SpaceQ
News•Feb 3, 2026
Artemis 2 Launch Pushed to March Launch Window
NASA concluded its Artemis 2 wet‑dress rehearsal early after encountering multiple technical setbacks, including a liquid hydrogen leak and a valve that required retorquing. The countdown was automatically aborted when leak rates spiked, and cold‑weather conditions further complicated camera operations. As...
By SpaceQ
News•Feb 2, 2026
Artemis 2 Wet Dress Rehearsal “Go” For Tanking
NASA’s Artemis 2 wet‑dress rehearsal entered its simulated launch window on Feb 2, with the countdown clock opening at 9 p.m. EST. Technicians completed an inerting purge, replacing ambient air with gaseous nitrogen to eliminate fire risk while personnel cleared the area. Launch director...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 29, 2026
Tomorrow.io Announces DeepSky a New AI Satellite Constellation Privatizing Precision Weather
Tomorrow.io unveiled DeepSky, an AI‑native satellite constellation designed to deliver high‑frequency, customized weather and ocean data for enterprise and government users. The company received operational‑grade validation from NOAA, which praised the microwave sounders’ radiometric accuracy and cross‑satellite consistency. DeepSky builds...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 28, 2026
Canadian Space Agency Looking for Ground Segment Concept Studies for RADARSAT+
The Canadian Space Agency has released a Request for Proposals to develop a modern ground‑segment concept for the upcoming RADARSAT+ synthetic‑aperture‑radar constellation. The initiative builds on a 2023 federal investment of $1.012 billion aimed at replenishing the current RADARSAT Constellation Mission...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 28, 2026
Canada’s Next Eye on the Moon
Western University’s team, led by Professor Jayshri Sabarinathan, has been awarded a $3.8 million Phase 0 contract by the Canadian Space Agency to build a Dual Sensor Multispectral Imager (DS‑MSI) for a lunar utility rover. The DS‑MSI integrates visible‑near‑infrared and short‑wave infrared...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 27, 2026
Calian to Kick-Start $100M Sovereign C5ISRT Strategic Initiative
Calian has launched a $100 million sovereign C5ISRT strategic initiative to accelerate Canada’s command, control, computing, communications, cyber, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting capabilities. The funding will flow through Calian VENTURES, a platform that partners with Canadian SMEs and draws on...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 27, 2026
How Will the Artemis 2 Crew Pilot the Orion Spacecraft
Artemis 2 will be the first crewed flight of NASA's Orion spacecraft, which is built to operate both autonomously and under manual control. Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen explains that each astronaut will have a dedicated hand controller, allowing translation and rotation...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 26, 2026
A Good Sign: Artemis 2 Astronauts Now in Quarantine
NASA confirmed on Jan 23 that the Artemis 2 crew began their health‑stabilization program, effectively entering quarantine. The 14‑day isolation is a key checkpoint before the targeted evening launch on Feb 6, with the astronauts slated to return to Florida between Jan 31 and...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 23, 2026
Filling the Manufacturing Gap: How SCCI Revived a Critical Canadian Capability
Space Credibility Canada Inc. (SCCI), a 2023 startup built from former Leonardo DRS assets and staff, has re‑established Canada’s space‑qualified manufacturing capability. The firm specializes in low‑volume, high‑mix circuit card assembly and recently won a $2 million contract to supply 16...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 22, 2026
How Artemis 2 Will Communicate From Deep Space
Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen explains that Artemis 2 will rely on NASA’s Deep Space Network for most voice and data links, enabling near‑continuous contact with Mission Control. The crew will experience a roughly 45‑minute communications blackout while traversing the Moon’s far...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 22, 2026
NordSpace Receives $335k Grant for Additive Manufacturing Development
Markham‑based NordSpace has secured up to $335,000 from the NRC IRAP to advance additive manufacturing for its rocket engines. The company will work with Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology and engineering firm SWMS to integrate high‑speed laser deposition and...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 20, 2026
Record Number of Canadian Payloads Set for Launch in 2026
SpaceQ reports a record 39 Canadian payloads slated for launch in 2026, marking a sharp rise from the 63 launched over the past five years. The roster includes 11 organizations, almost entirely commercial small‑satellite missions, with only one non‑commercial payload....
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 16, 2026
Before the Canadarm, There Was Hermes: Canada’s 50-Year Space Legacy
Tomorrow marks the 50th anniversary of Canada’s Communications Technology Satellite, known as Hermes, launched on 17 January 1976 in partnership with NASA and ESA. The satellite was the most powerful communications platform of its era, featuring a 200 W transmitter and the first...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 16, 2026
Canada Rocket Company Enters the ‘Launch the North’ Sweepstakes and Raises $6.2M in Seed Round
Canada Rocket Company (CRC) emerged from stealth after closing a $6.2 million seed round co‑led by BDC and Garage Capital, with participation from Ripple Ventures and other investors. The Toronto‑based startup’s founding team includes former SpaceX senior engineers, and it is...
By SpaceQ
Deals•Jan 16, 2026
Canada Rocket Company Raises $6.2M Seed Round
Canada Rocket Company (CRC), a Toronto‑based space and defence startup, announced a $6.2 million seed round led by the Business Development Bank of Canada and Garage Capital, with participation from Ripple Ventures, Panache Ventures, Northside Ventures and Cold Capital. The funding...
SpaceQ
News•Jan 15, 2026
Concordia University Seeks and Gets Injunction Against Polaris Aerospace in ‘Launch the North’ Dispute
Concordia University obtained a provisional 10‑day injunction against former student and Polaris Aerospace co‑founder Oleg Khalimonov for allegedly misusing Starsailor project intellectual property in the Department of National Defence’s Launch the North challenge. The Superior Court of Québec ruled Concordia...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 14, 2026
Where Does the Trash Go? And How Artemis 2 Astronauts Stay Organized
In a Canadian Space Agency video, astronaut Jeremy Hansen explains how the Artemis II crew will manage storage and waste aboard the Orion spacecraft during its nine‑day, four‑person mission. The crew will use labeled stowage bags and dedicated trash bags to...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 9, 2026
Kepler Communications Set to Launch 10 AETHER Optical Relay Satellites This Sunday
Kepler Communications is set to launch ten AETHER optical relay satellites on SpaceX’s Twilight rideshare mission early Sunday, with a launch window opening at 8:19 a.m. ET from Vandenberg. The batch represents the first operational tranche following two pathfinder satellites that...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 9, 2026
Race for Canadian Sovereign Launch – $105M ‘Launch the North’ Challenge Draws Strong Interest
Canada has closed the application window for its $105 million “Launch the North” sovereign launch challenge, with more than a dozen firms reportedly submitting proposals. The competition’s Phase 1 will award up to three organizations $25 million each to develop responsive light‑lift launch...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 8, 2026
European Space Agency DG Aschbacher Highlights 2026 Milestones in Annual Address
European Space Agency announced a record €22.3 billion budget for 2026‑2028, a 31% rise over the previous cycle, with the 2026 allocation at €8.26 billion. Canada increased its contribution to €407.7 million, four times its prior level. Ariane 6 achieved five successful flights in...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 8, 2026
MDA Space Added as a ‘Golden Dome’ Contractor by the Missile Defense Agency
MDA Space has been added as a contractor to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) program, part of the broader Golden Dome strategy. The SHIELD initiative carries a $151 billion ceiling over ten years and...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 7, 2026
Industry Report: Canada Risks Falling Behind without Major Overhaul of Space Procurement
Space Canada’s new position paper warns that Canada’s defence space capabilities risk lagging as the nation relies on U.S. suppliers for roughly 75 % of its capital budget. The report urges a sweeping procurement overhaul, championing commercially‑owned, commercially‑operated (COCO) models and...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 7, 2026
Why Jeremy Hansen Is Leaving Entertainment Behind for His Trip Around the Moon
Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen will fly on NASA’s Artemis 2 lunar flyby, marking Canada’s first crewed deep‑space mission. The nine‑day flight is packed with scientific experiments, capsule tests and scheduled downlinks, leaving only brief windows for personal time. Hansen says he...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 7, 2026
Fragmentation and Consolidation (Part 2) – Getting Ahead of the Curve
The space sector is transitioning from a fragmented, novelty‑driven phase to a consolidation era where reliability and risk mitigation dominate. Customers no longer ask which component performs best; they demand proven delivery, stable interfaces, and support. Suppliers must shift their...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 6, 2026
SEDS Canada Creates New Canadian CubeSat Conference
SEDS Canada, together with Space Concordia, is launching the inaugural Canadian CubeSat Conference, set for March 7‑8, 2026 at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business in Montreal. The event serves as the technical showcase for the newly formed Canadian CubeSat Network (CCN),...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 5, 2026
Globalstar Updates FCC on Its Planned C-3 Satellite Constellation
Globalstar met with FCC senior counsel to reaffirm its request for U.S. market access for the third‑generation C‑3 satellite system, a 48‑satellite constellation plus six on‑orbit spares built by MDA Space. The filing also explicitly opposed Starlink’s use of Globalstar’s...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 5, 2026
Maritime Launch Appoints Melissa Quinn to Oversee Spaceport Readiness
Maritime Launch Services has appointed Melissa Quinn as Vice President of Spaceport Operations, overseeing the transition of Spaceport Nova Scotia from development to full operational capability. Quinn joins on a secondment from MDA Space after a brief stint as Senior...
By SpaceQ
News•Jan 2, 2026
Will 2026 Be the Year the Canadian CASTOR Space Telescope Is Approved?
The Canadian Astronomical Society reported that a Phase A+ study for the CASTOR space telescope is slated for early January 2026, following intensified lobbying and high‑level meetings between the CSA and NRC. Recent mid‑term review recommendations reaffirm CASTOR as a top community...
By SpaceQ