Canadian Industry Minister&nbsp;Francois-Philippe Champagne has announced that the country&nbsp;will land a robotic rover on the Moon by 2026.

Announcing that Ottawa plans to "dream big" as it advances its competitive stake in the growing global space market,&nbsp;Champagne said&nbsp;"As the whole world looks to the stars we are ready to make Canada a world leader in research, technology and innovation so that we can be there as well."

"Let's seize the moment. I don't think there's ever been a better time to be Canadian, and dream big."

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) will partner with the United States' NASA on the mission, according to a statement.

Two Canadian companies will first be selected to develop concepts for the rover and&nbsp;science&nbsp;instruments for the mission.

The rover will be tasked with exploring a polar region of the Moon and carrying out scientific work, as well as taking images and collecting data on the surface.

In the meantime, a Canadian astronaut is set to take part in a lunar mission for the first time in 2023, as part of the NASA-led Artemis project, it was announced in December.

The mission, Artemis II, will see a crewed test flight sent into orbit but will not involve an actual landing on the Moon, according to the US space agency.

The following year, Artemis III aims to land astronauts, including the first woman, on the Moon. This will be the first landing since Apollo 17 in 1972.

Ottawa has invested Can$36.5 million (US$30 million) over the past year to advance lunar and space technologies including micro-rovers, and to build a third-generation robotic arm dubbed Canadarm3. Its predecessors were deployed on space shuttles and the International Space Station to stickhandle payloads.

A total of Can$2 billion has been earmarked for the Canadian space program over the next two decades.

The global space market, the government said, is expected to triple to Can$1.1 trillion. Canada currently has a 1.3 percent share of this market.

In a sign of the industry's global growth, an unmanned rover from the United Arab Emirates, a hitherto space minnow, will be transported to the Moon next year, lunar exploration firm iSpace announced in April.

(With inputs from agencies)

Canadian Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne has announced that the country will land a robotic rover on the Moon by 2026. Announcing that Ottawa plans to "dream big" as it advances its competitive stake in the growing global space market, Champagne said "As the whole world looks to the stars we are ready to make Canada a world leader in research, technology and innovation so that we can be there as well.

Canadian Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne has announced that the country will land a robotic rover on the Moon by 2026. Announcing that Ottawa plans to "dream big" as it advances its competitive stake in the growing global space market, Champagne said "As the whole world looks to the stars we are ready to make Canada a world leader in research, technology and innovation so that we can be there as well." "Let's seize the moment. I don't think there's ever been a better time to be Canadian, and dream big." The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) will partner with the United States' NASA on the mission, according to a statement. Two Canadian companies will first be selected to develop concepts for the rover and science instruments for the mission. The rover will be tasked with exploring a polar region of the Moon and carrying out scientific work, as well as taking images and collecting data on the surface. In the meantime, a Canadian astronaut is set to take part in a lunar mission for the first time in 2023, as part of the NASA-led Artemis project, it was announced in December. The mission, Artemis II, will see a crewed test flight sent into orbit but will not involve an actual landing on the Moon, according to the US space agency. The following year, Artemis III aims to land astronauts, including the first woman, on the Moon. This will be the first landing since Apollo 17 in 1972. Ottawa has invested Can$36.5 million (US$30 million) over the past year to advance lunar and space technologies including micro-rovers, and to build a third-generation robotic arm dubbed Canadarm3. Its predecessors were deployed on space shuttles and the International Space Station to stickhandle payloads. A total of Can$2 billion has been earmarked for the Canadian space program over the next two decades. The global space market, the government said, is expected to triple to Can$1.1 trillion. Canada currently has a 1.3 percent share of this market. In a sign of the industry's global growth, an unmanned rover from the United Arab Emirates, a hitherto space minnow, will be transported to the Moon next year, lunar exploration firm iSpace announced in April. (With inputs from agencies)

'Dream big': Canada teams up with NASA to send rover to Moon

NASA on Friday celebrated its latest class of graduating astronauts at a public ceremony in Houston, honouring a diverse and gender-balanced group now qualified for spaceflight missions including America's return to the Moon and eventual journey to Mars.

After completing more than two years of basic training, the six women and seven men were chosen from a record-breaking 18,000 applicants and represent a wide variety of backgrounds and specialities, from pilots to scientists, engineers and doctors.

The group included two candidates from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), which has participated in a joint training program with the United States since 1983.

"They are the best of the best: They are highly qualified and very diverse, and they represent all of America," said NASA Administrator <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-starliner-returning-to-earth-early-after-mission-failure-269557">Jim Bridenstine</a>.&nbsp;

The class included five people of colour, including the first Iranian-American astronaut, Jasmin Moghbeli, who flew helicopter combat missions in Afghanistan and holds an engineering degree from MIT, and geologist Jessica Watkins, who joins only a handful of black women to complete the program.

The group, known as the "Turtles," wore blue flight jumpsuits and took turns approaching the podium to receive their silver astronaut pins, as their fellow classmates paid tribute to their character in the first-ever public graduation ceremony.

The tradition of handing out pins dates back to the Mercury 7 astronauts who were selected in 1959, with participants receiving their gold pins once they complete their first spaceflights.

After being selected in 2017, the class completed training in spacewalking at NASA's underwater Neutral Buoyancy Lab, robotics, the systems of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spacex-launches-third-batch-of-mini-satellites-into-orbit-272623">International Space Station</a> and piloting the T-38 training jet, plus Russian language lessons.

They are the first to graduate since NASA announced the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-plans-to-send-water-hunting-robot-to-moon-surface-in-2022-258216">Artemis program</a> to return to the Moon by 2024, this time on its south pole, as the United States plans to place the next man and first woman on lunar soil and set up an orbital space station.

Part of the group's training, therefore, included studying the building blocks of that program, which are still being developed: the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/glitch-delays-european-cheops-satellite-launch-268717">Space Launch System</a> rocket, the Orion crew capsule and the gateway space station.

But NASA has already said that the crew of the first return Moon mission, Artemis 3, will be selected from previous graduates.

Astronauts play an active role in the development of spacecraft, and the current group will eventually join the ranks of the approximately 500 people in history who have ventured into space.

The 11 US astronauts bring the total number of NASA's corps up to 48.

Their diversity stands in contrast to the early years of space exploration, long dominated by white men (including all 12 people who have walked on the Moon) until Sally Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983 and Guion Bluford the first black astronaut the same year.

It also includes Indian-American Raja Chari, an Air Force colonel and aeronautical engineer;&nbsp;Frank Rubio, a medical doctor and Blackhawk pilot; and Jonny Kim, a decorated Navy SEAL and emergency physician, who holds both a doctorate in medicine from Harvard and a mathematics degree.

"When I heard about possibly being a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/world-to-witness-2020s-first-lunar-eclipse-today-273350">NASA</a> astronaut I thought that was a platform like no other where I could leave a huge impact on the next generation and also contribute to our nation's space exploration," Kim told reporters.

Watkins praised what she called NASA's emphasis on diversity.

"I think cultural and social change can be slow, even when it's trending in the right direction," she said.

The CSA's newest astronauts are Joshua Kutryk,&nbsp;a Royal Canadian Air Force lieutenant colonel, and Jennifer Sidey-Gibbons who holds a doctorate in engineering from the University of Cambridge where she was working as an assistant professor in combustion in the Department of Engineering.

Asked about the difficulties she faced in her career, Moghbeli said some had questioned her choices when she decided to join the military after graduating from MIT.

"In a post-September 11 world, did my parents think I was crazy? Yes, I'm pretty sure they did," she said but added that her family then gave her their full support.

"It's because of that that I'm here today, and I think everyone feels similarly, but -- that being said -- there will always be people out there that doubt.

"When I was a sixth-grader and said I was going to become an astronaut, do you think everyone was like, 'Yep, she's going to become an astronaut'? Probably not."&nbsp;

NASA on Friday celebrated its latest class of graduating astronauts at a public ceremony in Houston, honouring a diverse and gender-balanced group now qualified for spaceflight missions including America's return to the Moon and eventual journey to Mars.

NASA on Friday celebrated its latest class of graduating astronauts at a public ceremony in Houston, honouring a diverse and gender-balanced group now qualified for spaceflight missions including America's return to the Moon and eventual journey to Mars. After completing more than two years of basic training, the six women and seven men were chosen from a record-breaking 18,000 applicants and represent a wide variety of backgrounds and specialities, from pilots to scientists, engineers and doctors. The group included two candidates from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), which has participated in a joint training program with the United States since 1983. "They are the best of the best: They are highly qualified and very diverse, and they represent all of America," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. The class included five people of colour, including the first Iranian-American astronaut, Jasmin Moghbeli, who flew helicopter combat missions in Afghanistan and holds an engineering degree from MIT, and geologist Jessica Watkins, who joins only a handful of black women to complete the program. The group, known as the "Turtles," wore blue flight jumpsuits and took turns approaching the podium to receive their silver astronaut pins, as their fellow classmates paid tribute to their character in the first-ever public graduation ceremony. The tradition of handing out pins dates back to the Mercury 7 astronauts who were selected in 1959, with participants receiving their gold pins once they complete their first spaceflights. After being selected in 2017, the class completed training in spacewalking at NASA's underwater Neutral Buoyancy Lab, robotics, the systems of the International Space Station and piloting the T-38 training jet, plus Russian language lessons. They are the first to graduate since NASA announced the Artemis program to return to the Moon by 2024, this time on its south pole, as the United States plans to place the next man and first woman on lunar soil and set up an orbital space station. Part of the group's training, therefore, included studying the building blocks of that program, which are still being developed: the Space Launch System rocket, the Orion crew capsule and the gateway space station. But NASA has already said that the crew of the first return Moon mission, Artemis 3, will be selected from previous graduates. Astronauts play an active role in the development of spacecraft, and the current group will eventually join the ranks of the approximately 500 people in history who have ventured into space. The 11 US astronauts bring the total number of NASA's corps up to 48. Their diversity stands in contrast to the early years of space exploration, long dominated by white men (including all 12 people who have walked on the Moon) until Sally Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983 and Guion Bluford the first black astronaut the same year. It also includes Indian-American Raja Chari, an Air Force colonel and aeronautical engineer; Frank Rubio, a medical doctor and Blackhawk pilot; and Jonny Kim, a decorated Navy SEAL and emergency physician, who holds both a doctorate in medicine from Harvard and a mathematics degree. "When I heard about possibly being a NASA astronaut I thought that was a platform like no other where I could leave a huge impact on the next generation and also contribute to our nation's space exploration," Kim told reporters. Watkins praised what she called NASA's emphasis on diversity. "I think cultural and social change can be slow, even when it's trending in the right direction," she said. The CSA's newest astronauts are Joshua Kutryk, a Royal Canadian Air Force lieutenant colonel, and Jennifer Sidey-Gibbons who holds a doctorate in engineering from the University of Cambridge where she was working as an assistant professor in combustion in the Department of Engineering. Asked about the difficulties she faced in her career, Moghbeli said some had questioned her choices when she decided to join the military after graduating from MIT. "In a post-September 11 world, did my parents think I was crazy? Yes, I'm pretty sure they did," she said but added that her family then gave her their full support. "It's because of that that I'm here today, and I think everyone feels similarly, but -- that being said -- there will always be people out there that doubt. "When I was a sixth-grader and said I was going to become an astronaut, do you think everyone was like, 'Yep, she's going to become an astronaut'? Probably not."

Eyeing Moon, NASA hosts first public astronaut graduation ceremony

The first crew to blast off to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-to-open-international-space-station-to-tourists-from-2020-225333">International Space Station</a> following a launch accident that deepened doubts over Russia's space programme returned to earth safely on Tuesday.&nbsp;

NASA astronaut <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-scraps-all-women-spacewalk-for-lack-of-well-fitting-suits-205635">Anne McClain</a>, veteran cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos, and Canadian Space Agency record-holder David Saint-Jacques emerged from the spacecraft to applause from support crews, after touching down near the Kazakh city of Dzhezkazgan.

Live footage from the landing site broadcast on NASA television showed the three sitting in chairs smiling as they were attended to by staff ahead of a journey back to Moscow for Kononenko and Houston for McClain and Saint-Jacques.

Arriving at 0247 GMT to warm conditions, Kononenko joked that he was "happy to see any kind of weather" after coming back from space. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The trio's launch on December 3 was the first after a Soyuz rocket carrying Russia's Aleksey Ovchinin and US astronaut Nick Hague failed in October just minutes after blast-off, forcing the pair to make an emergency landing. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

They escaped unharmed but the failed launch was the first such incident in Russia's post-Soviet history and a new setback for the country's once-proud space industry. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Record-breakers and space tourism&nbsp;

McClain, Kononenko and Saint-Jacques had been optimistic ahead of their successful launch and remained upbeat throughout their time aboard the orbital lab which is seen as a rare example of cooperation between Russia and the West.&nbsp;

"A beautiful night passes over Africa on my last night on @Space_Station," tweeted 40-year-old McClain, who completed two spacewalks during her virgin mission to the ISS. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Fellow first-time flyer Saint-Jacques broke the record for the longest single spaceflight by a Canadian astronaut, previously held by Robert Thirsk.&nbsp;

Thirsk clocked 187 days at the ISS in 2009 during a typical six-month mission, while 49-year-old Saint-Jacques' mission will stand at 204 days.

The record was helped along by the fact that the launch was moved forward to December 3 from December 20 for operational reasons -- possibly as a confidence booster after the accident. &nbsp;

The returning trio was given a ceremonial send-off Monday as they exited the ISS by Ovchinin, Hague and NASA astronaut Christina Koch, who arrived at the lab in March on a fresh mission.&nbsp;

Russians dominate the rankings for cumulative days spent in space, with the Kononenko reaching 737 days.

That leaves the 55-year-old sixth in the all-time standings and just a typical ISS mission short of beating the 879-day record set by 60-year-old Roscosmos colleague Gennady Padalka in 2015.&nbsp;

Since 2011, Russia is the only country to oversee manned launches to the ISS.&nbsp;

But last year's failed launch, multi-billion dollar corruption scandals at Roscosmos and the emergence of private sector competitors like Elon Musk's SpaceX have combined to put into question Moscow's future dominance.

NASA said earlier this month that it will be opening the ISS up to space tourists for the first time next year with 30-day visits expedited by SpaceX and Boeing expected to cost around $58 million per person.&nbsp;

Russia has flown seven tourists to the ISS but is set to increase that number beginning in 2021, according to Roscosmos, which struck a deal with American company Space Adventures earlier this year.

US businessman Dennis Tito was the first space tourist to the ISS, paying Russia around $20 million for the trip.

The first crew to blast off to the International Space Station following a launch accident that deepened doubts over Russia's space programme returned to earth safely on Tuesday.

The first crew to blast off to the International Space Station following a launch accident that deepened doubts over Russia's space programme returned to earth safely on Tuesday. NASA astronaut Anne McClain, veteran cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos, and Canadian Space Agency record-holder David Saint-Jacques emerged from the spacecraft to applause from support crews, after touching down near the Kazakh city of Dzhezkazgan. Live footage from the landing site broadcast on NASA television showed the three sitting in chairs smiling as they were attended to by staff ahead of a journey back to Moscow for Kononenko and Houston for McClain and Saint-Jacques. Arriving at 0247 GMT to warm conditions, Kononenko joked that he was "happy to see any kind of weather" after coming back from space. The trio's launch on December 3 was the first after a Soyuz rocket carrying Russia's Aleksey Ovchinin and US astronaut Nick Hague failed in October just minutes after blast-off, forcing the pair to make an emergency landing. They escaped unharmed but the failed launch was the first such incident in Russia's post-Soviet history and a new setback for the country's once-proud space industry. Record-breakers and space tourism McClain, Kononenko and Saint-Jacques had been optimistic ahead of their successful launch and remained upbeat throughout their time aboard the orbital lab which is seen as a rare example of cooperation between Russia and the West. "A beautiful night passes over Africa on my last night on @Space_Station," tweeted 40-year-old McClain, who completed two spacewalks during her virgin mission to the ISS. Fellow first-time flyer Saint-Jacques broke the record for the longest single spaceflight by a Canadian astronaut, previously held by Robert Thirsk. Thirsk clocked 187 days at the ISS in 2009 during a typical six-month mission, while 49-year-old Saint-Jacques' mission will stand at 204 days. The record was helped along by the fact that the launch was moved forward to December 3 from December 20 for operational reasons -- possibly as a confidence booster after the accident. The returning trio was given a ceremonial send-off Monday as they exited the ISS by Ovchinin, Hague and NASA astronaut Christina Koch, who arrived at the lab in March on a fresh mission. Russians dominate the rankings for cumulative days spent in space, with the Kononenko reaching 737 days. That leaves the 55-year-old sixth in the all-time standings and just a typical ISS mission short of beating the 879-day record set by 60-year-old Roscosmos colleague Gennady Padalka in 2015. Since 2011, Russia is the only country to oversee manned launches to the ISS. But last year's failed launch, multi-billion dollar corruption scandals at Roscosmos and the emergence of private sector competitors like Elon Musk's SpaceX have combined to put into question Moscow's future dominance. NASA said earlier this month that it will be opening the ISS up to space tourists for the first time next year with 30-day visits expedited by SpaceX and Boeing expected to cost around $58 million per person. Russia has flown seven tourists to the ISS but is set to increase that number beginning in 2021, according to Roscosmos, which struck a deal with American company Space Adventures earlier this year. US businessman Dennis Tito was the first space tourist to the ISS, paying Russia around $20 million for the trip.

Russian, North American astronauts return to earth

Manned Soyuz rocket blasts off successfully