Canadian Space Agency

The Canadian Space Agency has awarded $14.6 million in contracts to three Canadian companies to develop a fully Canadian lunar rover. MDA Space, Mission Control, and Canadensys Aerospace will explore design options for the versatile, AI-powered rover, which is expected to support astronauts, carry cargo, and perform logistics on the moon.

The rover must function autonomously for 10 years and survive extreme lunar conditions. Backed by $1.43 billion in federal funding, the project is part of Canada’s long-term lunar strategy and aligns with NASA’s Artemis ambitions.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on BetaKit.

Eight Canadian organizations will begin developing solutions to purify moon water as part of the next stage of Canada’s Aqualunar Challenge. Each semi-finalist will receive a grant to develop the key components of their prototypes. In turn, their technology, first intended for space missions, could also help advance water purification on Earth.

Selected organizations include Canadian Space Mining Corporation, Sixpenny Architectural Fabrication, 778 Labs, WaterPuris, Cimbus, the University of Calgary, Lotic Technologies, and McGill University. The Canadian Space Agency delivers the competition in collaboration with the Privy Council Office’s Impact Canada.

Want to know more? Check out the source code here.