Evaluation of the European Space Agency Contribution Program of the Canadian Space Agency

Overview of the Canadian space industry

The Canadian space industry comprises a number of defining characteristics. Revenue-wise, it is dominated by the satellite communication sector, predominantly for broadcasting purposes.^{Footnote 6} Close to 80% of the $4.9 billion in revenues recorded by the Canadian space industry in 2021 derived from satellite communication (CSA, 2023a, p. 18). This includes the manufacturing of space and ground segments, the operation of satellites, and the offering of a range of communication services, products and applications. Once we set aside satellite communication, the Canadian space industry includes a wide diversity of activities that cover all traditional areas of space, which generated around $1 billion in revenues in 2021, as illustrated in Figure 3.

The Canadian space industry is also highly concentrated in a few major players that generate the lion's share of revenues, with a multitude of smaller organizations that make up the rest. For instance, 95% of space revenues come from 30 space organizations (26 companies and 4 universities), out of the more than 200 space organizations in Canada (CSA, 2023a, p. 31; Government of Canada, 2021). Using the 2021 economic data, this means that around $245 million in revenues in 2021 was distributed among approximately 170 organizations, while the remaining $4.7 billion in revenues was shared by those 30 organizations with the highest revenues. This is relevant in understanding the context within which Canadian industry interacts with ESA, these large companies are integral to Canada's space industry and may be more naturally able to leverage their size to take advantage of ESA opportunities, especially functioning as prime contractors. However, it is also worth noting that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Canada's space sector are in fact more export-driven than the largest players, with 61% of their revenues coming from customers abroad (CSA, 2023a, p. 31). Having access to ESA contracts is particularly important for these SMEs, which are the lynchpin of innovation in Canada's space sector.

Finally, 36% of overall revenues from the space sector in 2021 came from exports (CSA, 2023a, p. 22). While the United States does remain the largest source of export revenues (57% of all export revenues), Europe came second (22% of all export revenues) and double the level of exports to Asia, the next largest region (CSA, 2023a, p. 24).

Benefits of participating in ESA

Evaluation findings point to the value attributed to Canada's participation in ESA. From the perspective of the Canadian space sector, ESA significantly opens up the range of opportunities offered to them through the following key benefit areas:

• Establishing new partnerships: Perhaps the single most important benefit that emerged from interviews with industry representatives is the ability to establish partnerships and collaborations with European companies, particularly those acting as prime contractors on ESA projects. It was emphasized that commercial opportunities in space are largely based on trust, expertise, and proven records of collaboration. Benefiting from the strong brand associated with Canada in a number of key technological areas, Canadian companies that are successful at creating and cultivating these relationships become natural partners that prime contractors may turn to when it comes to preparing an offer to ESA, or as part of other commercial opportunities. Given that ESA has a budget that is ten times larger than what the entire Government of Canada invests in space, these partnerships are often with significant players in the global space economy. As such there is the potential to allow for cooperation on future lines of business within both the European market outside of the initial ESA contract, or through leveraging partnerships with these significant European partners into other global markets that would be absent relying on domestic partnerships alone (Euroconsult, 2022, p. 40; Euroconsult, 2022, p. 167)
• Advancing new technologies: As one of the largest space agencies in the world, ESA engages in multiple space missions and activities that broaden the range of opportunities for Canadian companies to develop and mature new technologies, services, and products. For instance, performance data confirm that projects funded with the support of the ESA-CP have succeeded in advancing the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of Canadian technologies. Data indicate that at least 55 technologies and applications have been developed by Canadian space organizations with the support of the ESA-CP. Many technologies have also benefited from ESA opportunities for space mission access, either by already having flown or having been selected to fly on a future space mission. Despite its well-established involvement in space, Canada's investments in the sector have remained relatively stable, and are not on the same plane as the investments that the multi-nation ESA can bring to bear. Canada's participation in ESA helps maximize its investments, providing industry with opportunities in multiple areas, including those that have not systematically been the focus of CSA's missions, such as satellite communications or navigation.
• Accessing new markets: During interviews, industry representatives also emphasized that the participation in one of ESA's missions is a highly valuable achievement that opens up opportunities outside of ESA. In other words, having been part of an ESA mission is a "business card" that confers credibility, which is a central asset for expanding business opportunities. This credibility additionally comes not only from just being a part of an ESA program, but also from the fact that many of these ESA contracts allow industry to demonstrate their ability to deliver, facilitating access to new markets and follow-on business globally.

Representatives from academia also appreciate the collaborations that are made possible through ESA. Sitting on various committees, undertaking scientific research with European colleagues, or participating in specific projects funded through the ESA-CP contribute to advancing their research plans and understanding the trends that shape future priorities in space-related sciences, which helps them stay at the forefront of the research agenda.

Finally, representatives from the CSA emphasized the important value of the strategic information gathered through Canada's participation in various committees and decision-making bodies of ESA. Having detailed information on global space trends, as well as on ESA's current and future missions and activities, directly supports the planning process related to space activities undertaken by the CSA and by the federal government more generally. This longstanding collaboration between Canada and ESA also facilitates the establishment of partnerships on larger projects (outside the scope of the ESA-CP), such as the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope (CSA, 2022b). Lastly, the range of research and development opportunities offered through the ESA-CP is complementary to the other programs offered by the CSA through its Space Capacity Development Program and it is aligned with the CSA's expected departmental results of ensuring the Canada remains a leading space-faring nation, and that Canada's investments in space benefit the Canadian economy (CSA, 2022a).

Budget framework

The rationale for any investment made by a member state into ESA's programmes rests on the assumption that its domestic space industry has the capacity to actively engage in the agency's missions and activities. As noted during interviews, some member states face challenges in achieving the targeted industrial return on their investment due to the limitations in their space industry's capacity to undertake the required tasks. This is not the case for Canada. Interviews with representatives from both ESA and the Canadian space industry indicate that the capacity of the Canadian space industry to participate in ESA missions and activities exceeds the level of investment that Canada is making in the ESA-CP. This leads to choices that must be made to enhance the capacity of the Canadian space sector as a whole. On that basis, it was repeatedly suggested during interviews with all stakeholder groups that Canada would be well-positioned to fully leverage more opportunities if available.

Establishing the appropriate level of investment in the ESA-CP falls outside of the scope of this evaluation. As such, this evaluation limits itself to documenting the impact of the current level of investment. To this end, Figure 4 illustrates the variations in annual expenditures associated with the ESA-CP for the past 20 years or so. These variations are partly due to the fact that they reflect actual payments made to ESA based on the progression of the contracts involving Canadian space organizations. In nominal dollars, it shows annual variations between $30 million and $40 million for most of the period (except for a drop under $30 million between 2012-2013 and 2014-2015), with a more recent increase in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. The nominal yearly average for the whole period is approximately $34 million. Figure 4 also includes the variations in annual expenditures when controlling for inflation by using 2002 as the base year. It shows a general decrease in investments for most of the period, with a yearly average (in real 2002 dollars) of approximately $28.3 million.

Placed in a broader context and as illustrated in Figure 5, Canada's contribution represented less than 1% of ESA's budget for the past ten years. One axis of the graph shows the amount of money that Canada has put into ESA, while the other axis shows the proportion of the total ESA budget this amount represents. This includes several fluctuations including some increases in 2020 and 2021, especially linked to Canada's participation in the Mars Sample Return mission.

The data in Figure 5 confirms that Canada's contribution, despite increases in nominal value, continues to represent less than 1% of ESA's total budget coming from member states. In this context, Canada has continued to face the challenge of ensuring that the funding it directs towards the ESA-CP can lead to a diversity of opportunities (by subscribing to a range of optional programmes), while also ensuring that sufficient funding is invested in each of these programmes to allow for a meaningful participation of the Canadian space sector.

Evaluation findings indicate that achieving this balance is becoming increasingly difficult. During interviews, representatives from the space industry noted that the overall costs of space missions are steadily rising, and the limited funds available from Canada for individual projects tends to limit the ability of prime contractors to engage Canadian space organizations in more advanced technological development activities. One prime contractor noted during interviews that they increasingly opt for off-the-shelf technologies offered by Canadian companies, as the limited funds available do not allow for a more substantial participation. This is problematic, considering that the very purpose of participating in ESA is to allow Canadian companies to increase their technological capabilities (see logic model in Appendix B).

The potential issues resulting from the funding challenge are not limited to a lack of meaningful participation but may also impact the composition of Canadian industry that is likely to participate in ESA programs going forward. As previously noted, the bulk of funding made available through the ESA-CP is directed to a fairly small number of space organizations in Canada. Expanding the range of participating organizations is a goal that was expressed by all stakeholders consulted as part of this evaluation, including ESA representatives, and it is in line with the vision expressed in Canada's space strategy, which "seeks to create a vibrant and sustainable space sector anchored by a whole-of-government effort" (Government of Canada, 2019a, p. 9).

Overall, these trends point to potential risks of missing promising opportunities, of limiting the ability of Canadian space organizations to meaningfully advance their technological capabilities, and of allowing space organizations from other ESA member states to move into areas where Canada has traditionally been particularly competitive. This, in the long run, may negatively impact the relevance of the ESA-CP.

Overview of the level of participation

During the first four years of the period covered by this evaluation (2018-2019 to 2021-2022), Canadian space organizations signed a total of 125 contracts associated with ESA missions and activities, for a total value of €58,919,000. As illustrated in Figure 6, these contracts predominantly covered activities related to Earth observation, telecommunications, and space exploration.

A total of 61 Canadian space organizations have been involved in these contracts (covering the first four years of the evaluation period), including 44 companies, 13 universities, 3 research organizations (non-profit organizations and the National Research Council), and 1 federal department (Environment and Climate Change Canada). Considering that there are approximately 200 Canadian space organizations in Canada (Government of Canada, 2021), it means that around 30% of them have engaged with ESA during that period.

Based on ESA's own analysis however, despite this significant range of Canadian organizations involved in working with ESA, the majority do so infrequently. This is illustrated by the relative concentration of contracts going to a small number of Canadian institutions. For instance, ESA's examination shows that the top 80% of monies disbursed to industry were managed by just 8 companies (ESA, 2021b, p. 25). This data points to a need to increase diversity in the makeup of Canadian organizations that participate in ESA managed projects, especially given the benefits that could be realized by Canadian space SMEs given their dynamism and reliance on export markets.

As illustrated in Figure 7, the vast majority of the contracts awarded were directed to Canadian companies. These contracts related to Earth observation, telecommunications and space exploration activities. While many Canadian companies acted as prime contractors on smaller ESA contracts, a number of them also worked on large contracts with foreign prime contractors like Airbus (headquartered in Leiden, Netherlands), Thales (headquartered in France), or Sener (headquartered in Spain).

Universities and research organizations have also focused their involvement in Earth observation activities. In the specific case of universities, their engagement has included both research activities related to various ESA missions, as well as the ESA Living Planet Fellowship, which supports emerging researchers who wish to initiate a scientific career in Earth observation (ESA, 2023h).

GBA Plus considerations

The evaluation included Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) considerations. In doing so, it must first be emphasized that missions and activities that are supported though the ESA-CP are managed by ESA, using its operational and procurement rules or directives. As such, the evaluation focused primarily on documenting the gender composition of teams engaged in projects and activities supported through the ESA-CP, and understanding how ESA approaches aspects relating to equity, diversity and inclusion.

Performance data from approximately half of the projects that were funded with the support of the ESA-CP indicate that men comprised 83% of the team members involved in these projects. This reflects trends found in the space sector more generally (CSA, 2023a, p. 8). However, members of those teams who more recently joined the space sector were made up of 23% women, which may signal a trend towards greater gender parity.

Evaluation findings also indicate that ESA has undertaken efforts to more fully integrate equity, diversity, and inclusion considerations in its operations. For instance, ESA is launching a campaign to recruit a parastronaut (an astronaut who is differentially abled) and is implementing its Agenda 2025 that includes an eight-step strategy to achieve greater diversity and inclusiveness. In addition, ESA adopted the ESA Responsible Procurement Policy and Corporate Social Responsibility Code of Conduct in 2023, which incorporates gender aspects.

Reported program results

Evaluation findings indicate that the expected benefits associated with Canada's participation in ESA have continued to be realized during the period covered by the evaluation.

During interviews, representatives from the Canadian space industry emphasized that their participation in ESA has led to the development of new expertise, products, and services, has enhanced their production capabilities and has strengthened their relationships with international clients. Performance data also demonstrate that ESA-CP funding seems to directly support the engagement of highly qualified personnel (HQPs), as 81% of reported project team members were HQPs.

Findings from the case studies completed as part of this evaluation provide more detailed illustrations of the impact of the ESA-CP on the Canadian space industry:

• Biomass (Earth Observation): ESA is preparing for the launch of its Biomass mission, scheduled for 2024, which is expected to provide critical data on the state of forests, including how they are changing, and their role in the carbon cycle (ESA, 2023c). ESA has selected Airbus as the prime contractor for building this new Earth observation satellite. In turn, and with the support of the ESA-CP, Airbus has contracted the Canadian company C‑Core, located in Newfoundland and Labrador, for the design, development, production, delivery and installation of a calibration transponder, which is a device that receives and transmits radio signals at a prearranged frequency range (CSA, 2019b). This opportunity has provided C‑Core with the chance to showcase its capabilities in building algorithms and onboard processing systems.
• NAVISP (Navigation): ESA's Navigation Innovation and Support Program (NAVISP) supports the development of new technologies in the area of positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) that go beyond the exclusive use of satellite navigation signals and data (ESA, 2023j). This technology plays a critical role as more advanced automating processes continue to be developed. Through the ESA-CP, the Canadian company RX Networks, located in Vancouver, has developed a high-precision, cloud-based corrections service for Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers (CSA, 2020a). This opportunity has allowed RX Networks to accelerate the development of its high precision solutions and has led to a number of partnerships with companies based in Europe and other foreign markets, including a collaboration with Qualcomm, announced in October 2022, on the integration of RX Networks' meter-level location accuracy in around 2 billion mobile phones worldwide (Rx Networks, 2022).
• GSTP (Technology): Through its General Support Technology Program (GSTP), ESA has provided funding to Umicore, a global materials technology and recycling group with headquarters located in Belgium, to enhance the efficiency of space solar cells, including a more efficient use of germanium substrates (semiconductor material). This is essential considering the fact that the demand for this semiconductor material is expected to exceed its availability, particularly with the launch of large constellations of satellites. As part of this project, Umicore reached out to the Institut interdisciplinaire d'innovation technologique (IIIT) of the Université de Sherbrooke to assist with the research and development activities, based on the research that the IIIT had already published. The new technologies developed as part of this project will also find applications on Earth, particularly in improving the efficiency of solar panels. To further their ongoing collaboration, the IIIT and Umicore are planning for the establishment of an industrial research chair at the Université de Sherbrooke. For the IIIT, the partnership with Umicore has helped to establish an international reputation in applied research leading to commercial opportunities.
• Global Space Markets Challenge: In collaboration with Eurisy, a European non-profit association of over 15 national space agencies and other related organizations, ESA has established the Global Space Markets Challenge, which aims to raise the visibility of promising small and medium size enterprises offering products and services in the upstream and downstream space sectors (ESA, 2023f). The first challenge occurred in 2021, where participating companies were invited to present their internationalization plan for one of their products or services. The 12 finalists (six from upstream and 6 from downstream) were invited to deliver a presentation at the 72nd International Astronautical Congress (IAC) held in Dubai. The Canadian company A.U.G. Signals finished third place in the downstream category. In addition to receiving €5,000 to advance its internationalization plan, the company was provided with an opportunity to network and be introduced to a wide community of space-based companies and capital venture companies (ESA, 2021). Representatives from A.U.G. Signals expressed a deep appreciation for this opportunity to connect with other companies in Europe, and found the whole experience very valuable for all the employees involved. They intend to participate in future rounds of this competition.

During interviews, representatives from the Canadian community of researchers and scientists also emphasized the positive impact that their participation in ESA activities has had. In addition to providing full access to a range of space-based datasets and facilitating opportunities to collaborate with researchers based in ESA's member states, the funding provided by ESA has supported the involvement of students, postdoctoral fellows, and emerging researchers. The close relationship between Canadian and European researchers and scientists also facilitates the planning of future activities related to new space missions involving ESA and the CSA. It provides access to research domains where the CSA may be less involved and multiple academics described how ESA facilitates research that may not happen without the current arrangement with ESA.

"ESA has a bigger budget, and it has a bigger scope than CSA has. But at the same time, they do tend to target certain areas which I think are of great importance for the future."

The case study on the SWARM mission illustrates how ESA-funded research activities engage Canadian researchers and scientists. Launched in 2013, the mission was initially a constellation of three satellites that make high-precision and high-resolution measurement of the Earth's magnetic field (ESA, 2023k). These three satellites include a number of instruments, including the Electric Field Instrument (EFI) that was developed with the Canadian company Honeywell acting as prime contractor, along with Canadian researchers from the University of Calgary (acting as principal investigator), the University of Alberta, the University of Saskatchewan, and European researchers. In 2018, to enhance the capacity of the SWARM mission, ESA and Canada used ESA's Third Party Mission programme to add the Canadian satellite Echo (initially part of the CSA-funded CASSIOPE mission involving the Enhanced Polar Outflow Probe instrument) to the constellation, providing complementary data on space weather (ESA, 2018). The SWARM mission has been extended to 2025, allowing researchers to pursue their collaborations, to share their knowledge, and to engage with students and postdoctoral fellows.

Ongoing management of the ESA-CP

Building upon a collaboration that dates back more than 40 years, the ESA-CP is an exceptionally mature program. Ever since the CSA has managed the ongoing relationship with ESA, trust and close collaboration has been established between the two organizations. During interviews, ESA representatives have repeatedly emphasized the efficiency and professionalism of CSA representatives who participate in the various boards, committees and working groups. Representatives from the CSA have echoed those sentiments, and greatly value the ongoing support provided by ESA.

One area raising some operational challenges is the information provided by ESA to the CSA. While ESA is generally responsive, there is some information that is typically more difficult for the CSA to obtain. This is especially the case for certain microdata with respect to specific contracts. There is an understanding that, given the size of ESA and the fact that they are the ones ultimately managing the contracts, there is a limit to how much they can instantly share with every member state. This situation nonetheless poses a challenge for internal operations in being aware of exactly when contracts are ending, or who they are going to, which are important elements for the CSA's internal reporting, especially with respect to performance measurement and financial tracking.

"I want to commend ESA for an innovation that they did, by appointing a country desk officer for Canada. I am impressed by the amount of information that ESA is able to share/collaborate with us to prepare for our own country. This is something that they have not done in the past, but that service has been really phenomenal. It is a very large machine and it is hard for us at CSA, a small organization, to wrap our heads around all of the different processes. Having just a one-stop shop so you can ask for any information has been so helpful and so efficient. This country desk officer also has implications for industry"

There have been however some notable developments with respect to ESA-CSA communication channels which has improved the ongoing administration of the ESA-CP. One specific improvement that was applauded was the introduction by ESA of a country desk officer for Canada. This staff position provides a main point of contact for ESA industry matters dedicated to Canada (ESA, 2021b). Their mandate is quite broad but includes being a primary point of contact for both member states and industry directly. This work complements the work of Canada's permanent delegate in Paris, who supports the overall management of the ESA-CP, in addition to representing Canada in various ESA forums.

Another challenge related to efficiency concerns the need for in-person meetings, especially among the various programme boards for which the CSA has representatives, which triggers significant travelling costs for Canada. This issue was mitigated during the pandemic when all meetings were online or hybrid, but ESA places a premium on having these meetings in-person. There are legitimate reasons for this, such as ensuring that all member-states benefit from the same opportunities and that there is no differentiation between those who have the resources to attend in-person and those who are remote. However, it does have a cost, especially since these meetings often happen at least four times a year for each board. This is more challenging for Canada than other member-states given our geographical location outside of the European continent. Accounting for delegates time for board meetings (which occur four times a year and are usually two days long), plus travel, in addition to the preparation for these meetings can be estimated as a total of five days of work per board meeting. This does not factor the time required for the preparation meetings for the Council nor ad-hoc meetings, work on letters of support for Canadian proposals when needed and the extensive involvement leading up to Ministerial years when investment decisions need to be made.

"As far as cost effectiveness, I would love it if we could participate in meetings remotely more often, out of fairness. They currently insist on having everybody on site so that people are not inadvertently left behind. Countries that could not afford to go to the meeting would be stuck on a remote call while everybody else would be making corridor conversations and making deals. So, they do it out of fairness and I understand that. But it's way more expensive for us than any other country to attend in person, because of our distance and the cost of traveling. It would be wonderful if more could be done remotely."

Overall, the efficient collaboration between ESA and the CSA benefits the participating Canadian space organizations. During interviews, representatives from both the industrial and academic sectors have expressed their appreciation for the ongoing support and availability shown by the CSA program representatives and, as applicable, the ESA representatives. Evaluation findings have not identified any major concerns related to this aspect of the program management.

Finally, there is an element of program efficiency that relates more specifically to internal CSA management of the program. As previously discussed, within the CSA, the management of the ESA-CP is located in the Space Capacity Development Program. Evaluation findings indicate that the program is well managed. As previously noted, the work that the CSA team does is greatly appreciated by not only by ESA but also internally. There is also widespread agreement that the location of CSA management within SCDP is the logical location for the ESA-CP. There was however ongoing mention of the need to increase synergies and communication not only within the SCDP program, to ensure that the natural complementarity between ESA and Canada's domestic Space Technology Development Program is maintained, but especially with the other relevant sectors in Space Utilization and Space Exploration to ensure both their needs and the integrity of the SCDP are preserved. This perception ranges from interviewees who thought that the program could be used more strategically to meet their needs to a desire from SCDP to be more connected to the work being done in Programme Boards and by delegates.

Program awareness

One area where some concerns have been expressed during interviews conducted as part of this evaluation relates to program awareness.

Using the period from 2015 to 2022, ESA's administrative data indicates that approximately 80 Canadian space organizations have engaged with ESA. With an estimated 200 space organizations in Canada (Government of Canada, 2021), this gives an estimated participation rate of around 40 percent. While this represents a significant level of engagement, evaluation findings indicate that it remains difficult, especially for emerging organizations, to understand the logic and operations of the ESA-CP and of ESA more generally, and how they can participate in the various opportunities available.

The CSA's website has some information on the ESA-CP, but evaluation findings confirm that it is insufficient, as it is largely limited to providing a high-level description of Canada's involvement with ESA. Representatives from the Canadian space sector are seeking more practical information that can guide them as they seek to participate in opportunities facilitated by the ESA-CP.

The agency has also hosted events to promote and explain how Canadian space organizations can engage with ESA. However, evaluation findings indicate these activities are hosted on an ad hoc basis. Representatives from the Canadian space sector and from ESA are inviting the CSA to have a more sustained and comprehensive approach to raise the overall awareness level among all those organizations that could benefit from the program. As noted during interviews, this is seen as particularly important considering the complexity associated with the ESA procurement processes, which can act as a barrier to the participation for Canada space organizations, particularly emerging ones.

As documented in this report, the various processes allowing Canadian space organizations to participate in ESA are fairly technical and complex. In fact, some of the representatives from the Canadian space sector who were interviewed as part of this evaluation were not aware that Canada was providing some of the financial support that allows ESA to contractually engage them. In this context, a more involved approach to enhance the awareness of the ESA-CP and its mechanics would promote more equitable access to the program.

As noted during interviews, raising the awareness of ESA opportunities while keeping the level of engagement at its current level may raise expectations that will likely not be met. This is a relevant consideration from an operational perspective, but it creates an environment that is less conducive to enhancing the participation of emerging space organizations.

The consultations leading up to ESA Ministerial Council Meetings

ESA Ministerial Council Meetings are critical events held on an as-needed basis (typically every three years or so) where all member states make strategic choices on how best to direct their investments in ESA's missions and activities.

There is substantial preparatory work undertaken for each Ministerial Council Meeting. Over time, and as noted in the last evaluation of the ESA-CP (CSA, 2018, p. 28), the CSA has expanded its consultation with the Canadian space sector to help inform its planning work, and findings from this evaluation confirm this trend. In particular, a survey of the Canadian space sector was undertaken to support the planning process related to the last Ministerial Council Meeting held in November 2022. This survey was also regarded as a gain in efficiency since the last evaluation.

However, evaluation findings indicate that it may be necessary for the CSA to further expand its preparatory work in support of future investment decisions. This could be done by actively engaging and collaborating with contractors, other space agencies and key stakeholders early on to discuss and plan the next series of projects and activities. As one key informant noted during their interview, the end of a Ministerial Council Meeting signals the start of the planning process for the next Meeting. It is during these early planning phases that partnerships are explored and tentatively established to pave the way for new projects. It is therefore critical to have the CSA and the members of the Canadian space sector actively engage in these discussions, with an understanding from the CSA as to the likely direction that the agency will pursue through the ESA-CP.