A Langley, British Columbia company, SpaceDirt, is receiving a $500,000 contract from the Canadian Space Agency to help establish Canada’s approach to future lunar missions. Shaun Riddell, SpaceDirt’s CEO, says he is “over the moon” about the award, noting the competition for the national grant. Multiple outlets report that the Canadian Space Agency has selected three companies to carry out early work that will “lay the groundwork” for human and robotic activities on the lunar surface, with SpaceDirt included among the recipients.
The contract is described as focused on charting Canada’s role in lunar exploration, rather than building a specific spacecraft. Riddell frames the company’s broader long-term aim as developing robots for lunar operations, using the analogy of “dump trucks” of the moon. Overall coverage emphasizes the award’s significance within a competitive process and SpaceDirt’s planned contribution toward planning and supporting future lunar mission concepts for both human and robotic efforts.
