Watch the video above: International Astronautical Congress in Toronto showcases how space technology impacts life on earth.
TORONTO – This week, Toronto is hosting the 65th annual International Astronautical Congress where institutions and organizations from around the globe discuss the future of space.
Here are a few things that came to light while visiting the conference.
1. Canada rocks space
Despite the reputation of NASA being a leader in space, Canada has its own reputation. Perhaps, however, it is very Canadian-like of us to not toot our own horn, but rather sit quietly and politely behind the scenes.
Take, for example, the Canadarm. Without this amazing innovation there wouldn’t have been an International Space Station. Or, at the very least, it would have taken longer to construct.
Canada is also responsible for lasers used to better understand the composition of asteroids and planetary surfaces such as those aboard the Mars rovers and the one that will also be aboard OSIRIS-REx, a spacecraft that will visit the asteroid Bennu in 2016 and return a sample to Earth in 2023.
And let’s not forget Walter Natynczyk, current president of the Canadian Space Agency and former general with the Canadian Armed Forces.
2. Astronauts are a lot of fun
Tagging along with the Canadian Space Agency in The Amazing Canadian Space Race hit home just how fun astronauts are.
Astronauts Jeremy Hansen and David Saint-Jacques were the head of two teams tasked with various challenges across the city as part of a Tweetup event organized by the CSA. These events — originally started by NASA — invite people with Twitter accounts to participate in organized launches or special occasions. In this case, it was a challenge based on the popular show The Amazing Race.
David Saint-Jacques in a physical challenge at the DRDC
Hansen and Saint-Jacques embarked on challenges around the city where they visited Canadian companies and institutions involved with space research such as York University, the Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) and the Ontario Science Centre.
Jeremy Hansen in a physical challenge at the DRDC
While on Hansen’s bus, he talked about living underwater and underground in deep caves as well as his favourite things about being an astronaut. Both astronauts were welcoming and funny and downright cool.
3. Space is a worldwide endeavour
Among those present at the IAC were JAXA, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, The British Interplanetary Society, the Italian Space Agency, ASI, the China National Space Administration as well as representatives from around the world including South Africa, Israel, France, Ukraine, Australia and Syria.
4. There is a future in space travel
Along with giants SpaceX and Boeing, both awarded the next contract for the next generation of manned space vehicles, there were other players present at the IAC.
China and India are both on the main stage of manned exploration. The Chinese delegates, including the designer of their Tiangong space station were more than pleased to talk about their work in space. (We also discussed the role of Tiangong and Shenzou in the movie Gravity, where Shenzou saved the life of the character played by Sandra Bullock.)
The world is ready to take on space.
5. Bill Nye is still cool
Sure, we may remember Bill Nye as the guy who taught kids about science, but he’s very much an important voice in space exploration.
Nye is the chief executive officer of The Planetary Society and an outspoken voice on climate change and evolution. He’s in town as part of The Plantary Society’s event being held at the University of Toronto Wednesday night, “We See Thee Rise: The Canadian Space Program Today and Tomorrow” where he, along with panelists Elizabeth Howell, Jeremy Hansen and Gordon Osinski, will discuss Canada’s contributions to space.
The man who makes bow ties cool, is still rocking science.
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