Shuttle Endeavour and its crew safely
returned to Earth today at 1:58 p.m., ending a 14-day mission. The highlight
of the flight was the installation of a unique Canadian-built work platform
called the Mobile Base System on the International Space Station.
During the mission, astronauts Franklin Chang-Diaz and Philippe Perrin also
changed one of Canadarm2’s seven joints, for the first time conducting
repair work on the arm as it orbited 400 km above the Earth. The successful
transplant has demonstrated that Canadarm2 is the most capable, flexible,
unique robotics system ever deployed.
"Canada is famous around the world for advancing the state of space
robotics," said Alan Rock, Industry Minister and Minister responsible for
the Canadian Space Agency. "And the technology being developed for space is
helping us back home, driving innovation in diverse fields, such as
telemedicine systems that bring valuable medical expertise to remote regions
of our country."
Spin-offs from the robotic technologies developed for space are also
creating new robots for use in underground mines and in the operating room.
For example, a team of engineers from MD Robotics, the prime contractor for
Canadarm2, has developed "ÚoArm", an advanced robotic device that will be
used to perform complex neurosurgical procedures.
Next Milestones for Canada and the International Space Station
Join Canadian scientists in July 2002 when OSTEO-2 and Protein Crystal
Growth experiments are uploaded to the Station onboard STS-107. In April
2003 Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Steve MacLean will make his second trip
to space on STS-115 and take his first spacewalk installing the next set of
solar arrays on the International Space Station.
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For more information, contact:
Monique Billette
Senior Media Relations Officer
Canadian Space Agency
Tel.: (450) 926-4370
monique.billette@space.gc.ca
