Welcome to Space Matters!

 

The future of innovation and exploration depends on developing the minds and imaginations of the next generation of thinkers, researchers and space pioneers. Here at Space Matters we believe that every Canadian should have access to a rich variety of learning opportunities. The goal of Space Matters is to raise awareness of the importance of space to Canadians and how it touches on nearly every aspect of their daily lives. From Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and satellite communications to weather forecasting and monitoring the health of crops, the standard of living we currently enjoy is fundamentally dependent on satellites and space technologies. In parallel, the exploration of space drives innovation and pushes what we thought was possible to new limits, while at the same time addressing some of the biggest scientific questions of our time – such as are we alone in the universe?

Through Space Matters we seek to connect Canadians from coast to coast who are interested in space and to use space to ignite interest and motivate young minds to study science and engineering and to pursue careers in these fields.

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Canada in Space Timeline

Did you know that Canada was the third country – following Russia and the USA – to launch a satellite into space?! And did you know that a Canadian instrument detected snowfall on Mars for the first time?! Canada has a long history in space. Explore our Canada in Space timeline to find out for yourself!

timeline

Junior Astronauts Campaign

On February 28, 2019, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces Canada’s partnership in the NASA-led Lunar Gateway, a station that will orbit the Moon. With such an exciting contribution in our Canadian future, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is excited to start inspiring our nation’s next generation of astronauts and space-scientists! They’ve developed the Junior Astronauts Campaign to do just that. With free activities for educators to run with the students, a draw for a CSA astronaut/space expert to visit their school, and a draw for students to go to space training camp at CSA Headquarters – it’s a campaign full of exciting opportunities for Canada’s newest generation!

The Space Matters Initiative and the Institute for Earth and Space Exploration is excited to be supporting the Junior Astronauts Campaign, and working on its mandate – to make it accessible to Canadian youth across the country and across all demographics!

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B L O G S

Space offers a new perspective. Reconnecting to the universe.

Oct 17, 2019

“It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world.” - Carl SaganWhenever I speak to an audience, I ask them how many stars...

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Meet our Space Experts!

Thanks to our partnership with Partners in Research Canada, Space Matters is available to connect your classroom, museum, or event with our Space Experts for customized, interactive video calls through the Virtual Researcher On Call (VROC) program. Our Space Experts are available to present on a variety of topics from the use of satellites to monitoring climate change to the latest missions exploring our Solar System and beyond! READ MORE

If you are interested in becoming a Space Expert through Space Matters, we will soon have an online form to make this quick and easy. For now, just contact us by e-mail at info@spacematters.ca.

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For Educators

A major goal of Space Matters is to cultivate a network of educators across Canada, empower youth to learn across diverse settings, and enable our members to innovate existing activities and to develop new ones through open-source sharing of resources. Our aim is that this new learning ecosystem will foster dynamic collaborations among schools, out-of-school time programs, museums and science centres, universities, the private sector, community-based organizations, youth and families. READ MORE