Sale of MDA units leaves Canada's space ambitions in the air: Garneau

[CHIMO]

Sale of MDA units leaves Canada's space ambitions in the air: Garneau
Last Updated: Saturday, January 12, 2008 | 11:57 PM ET
CBC News

The announced sale of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd.'s satellite and space businesses to a U.S. company raises questions about Canada's future role in space and whether the country can maintain a satellite program of its own, according to the former head of the Canadian Space Agency.

The sale includes the division that developed the Canadarm robotic arm, used on space shuttle missions and on the International Space Station, and also includes ownership and operation of Radarsat-2, a satellite launched in December that government, space and military officials said would act as a tool to protect Canada's Arctic sovereignty.

Ex-astronaut and former Canadian Space Agency head Marc Garneau told CBC News the sale raises the delicate issue of whether Canada wants its eye on the Arctic run by a foreign company.

"The concern is we might not have 100 per cent control of that satellite from now on," said Garneau, who is running as a Liberal candidate in the next federal election.

http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/01/11/tech-mda-space.html

Scientists fear losing access to intelligence data

WASHINGTON — Ten years ago, a Canadian icebreaker was parked in an ice pack 300 miles north of Pt. Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost point in the United States, and allowed to drift so scientists could study the Arctic environment and global warming's effect on it. The icebreaker drifted with the ice for a year and more than 1,800 miles as researchers tracked changes in the Arctic ice pack.

Top-secret U.S. spy satellites were among those tracking the icebreaker. With the approval of a little-noticed government body known as the Civil Applications Committee, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency released nearly 60 photos to scientists.

The committee, under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Geological Survey, reviews civilian requests for classified reconnaissance information and makes recommendations to the intelligence community, which has the final say about what gets declassified. Such intelligence data can be helpful to scientists studying everything from volcanoes, forest fires, earthquakes and landslides to climate change, hurricanes, flooding and pollution.

Now, however, the Bush administration plans to abolish the committee and create a office in the Department of Homeland Security to review such requests and others from law enforcement agencies. Scientists are concerned that their requests could be sidetracked or delayed as security and law enforcement needs get priority.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/226/v-print/story/24620.html

Maybe some other countries will help Harper with satellite data. Well we can count China out as long as Harper is there.