During this years International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Milan, the Canadian Space Agency extended their memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Swedish National Space Agency and looked at a new collaboration with the Italian Space Agency.
MOU Extension with Sweden
In extending their MOU with the Swedish National Space Agency the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) said the “partnership will support the Space for Climate Observatory and strengthen efforts to promote gender equality in the space sector, including raising awareness of UNOOSA’s Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit.”
With respect to the Space for Climate Observatory, a call for projects 2025 was issued on August 30. SCO said it was “inviting innovative minds and organizations to join us in transforming the landscape of climate action. This is your chance to be part of a global movement that leverages the power of Earth Observation (EO) data to develop operational tools addressing the urgent challenges of climate change and create a powerful combination with valuable in situ data.” The closing date for projects is November 17.
CubeSats with Italy
Italy and Canada signed an MOU in 2021 and are now exploring a potential collaboration on CubeSats. This collaboration comes after the federal government released a statement July 15 on a new Italy–Canada Roadmap for Enhanced Cooperation.
At the IAC, the CSA said “The two Agencies are actively discussing opportunities to address common challenges and strengthen their partnership in line with mutual goals and interests. Specifically, the CSA and ASI intend to advance cooperation in the development of their respective CubeSat programs, including scientific and technological demonstration missions, with the objective of developing jointly the expertise required to ensure the success and prosperity of the Canadian and Italian space sectors.”
“Additionally, both Agencies aim to foster advanced industrial collaboration in the space sector. The two Agencies are committed to initiating a technical dialogue in fields such as quantum technologies and cybersecurity for civil space systems. They will also collaborate within the framework of the Artemis Accords to ensure the safety and sustainability of space exploration.”
