posted 05-11-2011 09:06 PM               

A NASA spokesman has confirmed the Canadarm will be removed and sent to Canada when the shuttle is back on the ground.

But he did not have a timetable for the arm's return, adding that NASA and the Canadian Space Agency are still negotiating.

Stephen Quick, director general of the Ottawa museum, says the Canadarm's first stop will be the Canadian Space Agency, near Montreal.

"I believe they're going to try and display it a bit and, at some point down the road, it's heading our way, he told The Canadian Press...

Quick says the Ottawa museum wants to make sure the Canadian robotic sensation is properly displayed when it arrives.

"We're kind of working out the engineering to be able to do that," he said.

"I guess we'll be reinforcing a number of elements in the museum to be able to hang it," he said. "It's fairly heavy and it won't support its own weight."

Photo credit: NASA/Tim Jacobs

posted 05-12-2011 06:04 PM               

The CSA says in an email that after the safe return of the crew and shuttle, the agency will be working closely with NASA to ensure the safe transit and return of Canadarm.

But the email adds that a decision on whether to tour or transfer Canadarm will be made at a much later date.

posted 08-31-2011 07:19 PM               

Gilles Leclerc, director general of space exploration for the Canadian Space Agency, told The Gazette Wednesday that CSA headquarters will receive one of the last remaining Canadarms from the now-retired space shuttle fleet - despite earlier reports that it might go to a museum in Ottawa.

"We won't be hiding it in a room," Leclerc said of the 15.2-metre arm. "We will restore it so it can be put on display and we will put it out where the public can see it."

Gilles Leclerc, director of space exploration at the agency, says the 905-lb. appendage will be cleaned up and mounted at the sprawling headquarters in St-Hubert, Que.

Leclerc said Canadians will be able to book tours to view the refurbished Canadarm, but he couldn't provide a precise launch date when it will be open to the public.

Photo credit: NASA/Tim Jacobs

posted 11-12-2011 10:10 AM               

MacLean says the original Canadarm will soon be brought back to Canada, sometime after the end of the year.

The robotic arm was last used on the Shuttle Endeavour during its final space mission, which ended June 1.

MacLean says the Canadarm has to be modified for public display before it can be installed at the CSA headquarters, south of Montreal.

posted 11-18-2011 08:53 PM               

CSA wants to develop an interactive exhibit around the Canadarm that will present its story and the major accomplishments for Canada. The interactive exhibit shall be a self-sufficient, creative, hands-on and highly interactive complement to the Canadarm display, using leading-edge visitor-engagement technologies (known as intuitive "touchless" interactive technology).

We are exploring the possibility to install the Canadarm at the CSA for a period of three to four years. After this period of time, the CSA would be looking at the possibility of doing a long-term loan with a Canadian museum.

The proposed exhibit might eventually need to be reinstalled, at a selected permanent location. Therefore, the components used need to be flexible and adaptable to another venue.

If the robotic arm was to be installed in CSA's head office main rotunda, this would be done in one of the following ways:

1. Horizontal Position: One end positioned two (2) feet from the floor rising at an acute angle (approx 12 degrees, TBC) to its furthest extremity... supported at this furthest end either by another stand or alternatively fixed to the interior wall of the Rotunda)

2. Vertical Position: One end of the arm fixed at a low point some two (2) feet off the floor. The other rising 45 degrees and doubling back at the joint to form a V with this extremity supported either by guy wires from the roof structure or a retaining bracket extended from one of the walls of the Rotunda)

posted 07-16-2012 04:07 PM               

The Canadarm is returning home

The Canadarm left the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and is on the road making its way home. Before reaching its final destination, the Canadarm will be transported to MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) office to be sanitized and refurbished. Once ready, the Canadarm will be displayed at the Canadian Space Agency’s John H. Chapman Space Center.

The Canadarm, Canada's national icon of technological innovation, made its space debut on the U.S. Space Shuttle on November 13, 1981. Designed to deploy and retrieve space payloads, the robotic arm quickly became a critical element in the Space Shuttle Program. It worked flawlessly for 90 Shuttle missions, spending a total of 944 days in space and travelling the equivalent of over 624 million km.

posted 03-06-2013 11:35 AM               

The Iconic Canadarm Embarks on Last Leg of a Storied Journey

The Government of Canada is proud to welcome one of our greatest technological contributions to international space exploration: the original Canadarm flown on the Space Shuttle Endeavour.

"I am proud to repatriate this historic piece of Canadian technology and ensure it is on display for all Canadians to see," the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Canadian Space Agency, said. "Canadians are immensely proud of the Canadarm which was absolutely critical to the Space Shuttle Program and positioned Canada as a key partner in the International Space Station."

The famed robotic arm touched down on the last flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour in May 2011. It was then returned to Canada and, over the past few months, has been undergoing a thorough and careful evaluation at MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates' facilities in Brampton. It will now be transferred to the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, where it will be on display for all Canadians.

"Canada is a leader in numerous space-related technologies and the Canadarm is just one example of what our world-class Canadian companies are capable of," added Paradis. "Our Government is committed to consolidating that reputation by maximizing access to international business opportunities and improving the commercialization of innovative Canadian technology."

Canadarm, Canada's national icon of technological innovation, made its space debut on the US Space Shuttle Columbia on November 13, 1981. Designed to deploy and retrieve space payloads, the robotic arm quickly became a critical element in the Space Shuttle Program. It worked flawlessly for 90 Shuttle missions, spending a total of 944 days in space and travelling the equivalent of over 624 million kilometers.

posted 05-02-2013 01:20 PM               

Canadarm on display: Space shuttle robot arm unveiled at Canadian museum

The original Canadarm, the Canadian-built robotic arm that for 30 years was used to reach out from NASA's space shuttles to deploy and capture satellites, support spacewalking astronauts and help assemble the International Space Station, now has a new mission in its retirement: public outreach.

Canadian Space Agency officials unveiled the Canadarm's new permanent display at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, Ontario on Thursday (May 2). Joining the event via a video broadcast from orbit, Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian commander of the International Space Station, participated by "sending the command" to reveal the arm's new exhibit.

"Let me send Canadarm its last command from space," said Hadfield as he simulated entering a command from a laptop aboard the space station. The video was timed with the curtain covering the Canadarm's display being pulled away.