Unit E Section 4.2

Question 1

What is one of the most famous Canadian contribution to space technology?

Answer 1

the robotic arm, the “Canadarm,” originally designed by Spar Aerospace

the Canadarm has proven to be one of the most versatile pieces of technology ever designed for the space shuttle program.

Question 2

What does Canadarm do?

Answer 2

Manipulated by remote control,

the Canadarm has launched and retrieved satellites,

helped fix optical apparatus on the Hubble Space Telescope,

put together modules of the International Space Station.

Question 3

When did Canada become among the first nations in the world to use a satellite for nonmilitary purposes?

Answer 3

When it launched Alouette 1 in 1962

Question 4

What did Canada launch in 1972?

Answer 4

Canada launched Anik 1 from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

Question 5

What did Anik 1 do?

Answer 5

That satellite gave the whole country telecommunications coverage for the first time

Question 6

Contribution of Anik 1 to Canada:

Answer 6

A year after Anik 1 was launched, Canada became the first country in the world to use satellites to broadcast
television

Question 7

What can Canadarm 2 do?

Answer 7

Not only can the arms bend around corners and grasp objects with its computer-controlled fingers,

it can also move around the outside of the International Space Station

Question 8

What are the three main systems of the Canadarm 2?

Answer 8

Remote Manipulator System

Mobile Base System

Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator

Question 9

Description of Remote Manipulator System

4

Answer 9

• contains seven motorized joints
• handles large payloads
• assists with docking the space shuttle
• can move around different parts of the station

Question 10

Description of Mobile Base System: (1)

Answer 10

• can travel along a rail system to move to different positions on the station

Question 11

Description of Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator

Answer 11

• uses its two-armed robotic hand for delicate assembly work

Question 12

Canada’s history in the field of space technology includes the following highlights:

Answer 12

• In 1839, Sir Edward Sabine established the first magnetic observatory at the University of Toronto. He discovered that the aurora borealis was associated with sunspot activity.
• In 1962, Canada became the third nation on Earth to launch a satellite, Alouette 1.
• When Apollo 11 made its historic first manned flight to the Moon in 1969, landing gear built in Canada ensured that the astronauts would safely touch down.
• The first Canadian in space was Marc Garneau, who participated in the space shuttle mission in October 1984.
• Roberta Bondar was the first Canadian female astronaut to fly on a shuttle mission, in 1992.
• Canada provided technology for the Mars Pathfinder mission. It was a Canadian-designed ramp that the Sojourner rover rolled down in 1997.
• In April 2001, Chris Hadfield became the first Canadian to walk in space when he helped deliver Canadarm 2 to the International Space Station.