After the publication of the US budget project on 2026 year, which involves the cancellation of the Gateway lunar orbiting station, Canadian company MDA Space has said it is ready to adapt its key development — the Canadarm3 robotic arm — to alternative missions.
Canadarm3 is Canada's main contribution to the Gateway project under the Artemis program. IN 2024 year, MDA Space received from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) contract value 1 billion Canadian dollars for the final phases of system development (C and D). As part of international cooperation, Canada received a guaranteed seat for its astronaut on the Artemis mission 2 Jeremy Hansen became him.
Despite the US budget proposals, MDA Space is currently continuing work on the robotic system on a full-time basis. According to the head of the company, Mike Greenlee, 2025 the year will pass under the sign of fulfilling current obligations, as the final budget decision is yet to come.
In case of cancellation of Gateway, Canadarm3 may find applications in other lunar applications. NASA has already signaled a willingness to maintain cooperation with Artemis partners — including the Canadian Space Agency — and use individual components, such as Canadarm3, in new missions to the Moon and Mars.
In addition to state initiatives, the development also finds commercial application. IN 2023 2018, MDA Space announced the MDA Skymaker line of space robotics, created on the basis of Canadarm3 technologies. It includes robotic arms for the commercial Starlab Space Station, and also for the lunar rover Lunar Outpost, proposed within the framework of the Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services program.
Several other private projects are also interested in using these technologies in low-Earth orbit stations..
Despite the potential cancellation of Gateway, the company believes, that interest in lunar missions remains at a high level. Budget reformatting with emphasis on reaching the Moon and preparing for Mars is seen by MDA Space as a positive trend, which opens up new opportunities for Canada's participation in space projects.
Source: https://spacenews.com/mda-space-sees-options-for-robotic-arm-technology-should-gateway-be-canceled/