Space agency boss speaks about future of space program

Astronaut Scott E. Parazynski works with cables associated with the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) or Canadarm2. NASA/Courtesy of Apercu.

About 100 representatives from industry, academia and government are meeting at the Canadian Space Agency for whats being billed as the countrys first annual space conference.

The Tuesday event is taking place just a few weeks after Industry Minister James Moore unveiled Canadas new space policy framework.

Space agency boss Walt Natynczyk opened the conference and it continued with presentations from several senior government officials who are in charge of the use of Canadian space assets.

The federal policy framework makes sovereignty and security the top priority and one presentation focused on the Department of National Defences involvement in space activities.

Federal officials with Defence Research and Development Canada, the National Research Council and Environment Canada also spoke.

The conference is taking place under tight federal budget restraints. Moore said earlier this month the Canadian Space Agency under Natynczyk has plenty of money to achieve its goals.

The current CSA budget is $260 million.

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Space agency boss speaks about future of space program