Space Shuttle

Launching Stamp Month 1992 on October 1, Canada Post Corporation will issue a se tenant pair of stamps honouring Canadian achievements in space. The first stamp commemorates the accomplishments of Canadian astronauts: Marc Garneau in 1984 and Roberta Bondar in 1992. A third, Steve MacLean, is scheduled to fly aboard the Discovery within several months. Highlighting the view of Canada from space shuttle, the background design of an electrocardiogram reading from a human heart symbolizes the various experiments astronauts perform on themselves while in space. The second design depicts Earth from space with an overlay of the Canadian communication satellite ANIK E2. In the background is a remote sensing photograph of the area near Quebec City. Canada's involvement in space dates back to 1839, when Sir Edward Sabine of the University of Toronto established Canada's first observatory to study the earth's magnetic field. During the 1950s Canada became involved with the N.A.S.A. space satellite program in which Canada would design and construct its own satellites, with N.A.S.A. providing launch facilities. Alouette I was launched in September 1962 and when Alouette II was launched on 28 November 1965, Canada Post issued a stamp on January 5, 1996 to commemorate the event. For the next three decades, Canada's involvement in space technology increased at a rapid pace in part through agreements with various nations including the U.S., France and the U.S.S.R. The firm Telesat was jointly formed by the federal government and telecommunications companies to promote space research and develop communication satellites to link our vast country. In 1969, N.A.S.A. requested Canada to develop a remote-manipulator for the space shuttle. Designed and constructed by Canadian industry under the direction of the National Research Council of Canada, it was presented to N.A.S.A. in February 1981. Christened the Canadarm, it would usher in a new era in space technology, that of repair and servicing of existing satellites. Its first missions was the repair of the Solar Max satellite. With a large Canadian flag on its side, its image flashed around the world, giving international recognition to Canada's contributions to space technology. Since 1988, Canada has had a continuing role in the development of the first space station, Freedom. Upon its completion later this decade, the Canadian Space Agency plans to send up an astronaut every six months for two years. The space agency is also continuing its recruitment of new candidates, several of whom were selected in June 1992. Heralding our national achievements in space research, Canadians will undoubtedly be looking forward to physicist's Steve MacLean's pending voyage into outer space.