Canada Norway space MOU Signed at IAC

CSA and Norway’s NOSA Formalize Arctic Space Partnership

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has signed its first memorandum of understanding with the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA), an Arctic-focused partnership highlighted at the International Astronautical Congress in Antalya, Türkiye. The agreement was signed electronically the week of Sept. 14 by Jean-Claude Piedboeuf, the CSA’s acting president, and Christian Hauglie-Hanssen, NOSA’s director general.

The MOU’s full title is the “Memorandum of Understanding between the Norwegian Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency Regarding Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Space for Peaceful Purposes.” Under it, the two agencies “will advance collaboration on space-based and dual-use capabilities that support Arctic and northern needs and leverage their shared membership in the European Space Agency to champion projects and opportunities of mutual interest.” The CSA does not typically release the full text of such agreements.

A CSA LinkedIn post emphasized “space-based Arctic applications, maritime surveillance, as well as climate and environmental monitoring.” “Canada and Norway share a unique connection to the Arctic,” the agency wrote. Both countries describe “shared membership” in ESA, though their status differs: Norway is a full member, while Canada is a Cooperating State that funds and takes part in selected ESA programs.

The countries’ space ties go back decades. The Norwegian agency dates its cooperation with Canada to 1990, built around Canada’s RADARSAT satellites, whose data Norway uses to monitor its waters, shipping and sea ice. Toronto’s Space Flight Laboratory and now SFL Missions has built seven satellites for Norwegian customers. In March, Canada’s and Norway’s defence ministers signed a letter of intent on space cooperation, including satellite interoperability. In September, Norway’s Kongsberg signed separate MOUs with MDA Space and Telesat covering Arctic surveillance and satellite connectivity. Norway is hosting a space summit in February, to which Canada has been invited.

NorthStar Rings NYSE Bell, Adds U.S. Technical Director

Montreal-headquartered NorthStar Earth & Space rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Friday, completing its first week of trading on the NYSE American under ticker NSTR. The company, which uses satellite sensors for space domain awareness, went public by merging with Viking Acquisition Corp. I, a special purpose acquisition company. When the deal closed, holders of 96.4 per cent of Viking’s public shares elected to redeem rather than stay in, leaving the company with about $32.5 million in Canadian dollars after deal costs and loan repayments. NorthStar’s shares closed their first trading day on Oct. 2 at $US 4.45.

“Now, we have a stronger voice as we continue to advance our mission,” chief executive Stewart Bain said in the release. The company also announced Armelle Franklin as technical director for its U.S. arm in Virginia. Franklin joins from Titania Solutions Group and previously led large space defence programs at Northrop Grumman. “Her expertise will help ensure the services we deliver fit the current and future needs of US space defense & intelligence,” chief technology officer Peter Klimas said. His promotion to that post was announced Sept. 28.

The listing arrived during a down week for Canadian space stocks. All nine companies on SpaceQ’s Canadian Space Index fell in the week ended Oct. 9, sending the index down 5.4 per cent to 98.70 — below its 100.00 base for the first time since Sept. 4. Even so, NorthStar’s first week of public trading was the board’s most notable event.

Canadarm2 Releases Cygnus XL From Station

Cygnus XL Cargo Spacecraft Departing Station Soon on NASA+The Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft is held in the grips of the Canadarm2 robotic arm as it is maneuvered toward the International Space Station’s… | Source: NASA

The Canadarm2 robotic arm released Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft from the International Space Station at 12:44 p.m. EDT on Oct. 9, after detaching it from the Earth-facing port of the station’s Unity module. At the time of release, the station was flying about 260 miles above the Pacific Ocean.

Cygnus XL departed nearly six months after arriving with about 11,000 pounds of supplies, scientific investigations, commercial products, hardware, and other cargo. The spacecraft launched April 11 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. NASA astronaut Luke Delaney monitored the release operation aboard the station.

Mission controllers will command the spacecraft to deorbit on Monday, Oct. 12, carrying several thousand pounds of disposal items and other unneeded cargo into Earth’s atmosphere, where it will harmlessly burn up during re-entry. NASA will not provide coverage of the deorbit.

Citations

“Canada, Norway space agencies sign first MOU” — https://spaceq.ca/canada-norway-space-agencies-sign-mou/
“NorthStar rings NYSE bell, adds U.S. technical director” — https://spaceq.ca/northstar-nyse-bell-us-technical-director/
“A down week for space stocks as the Canadian Space Index drops 5.4%” — https://spaceq.ca/the-weekly-close-october-9-2026/
“Cygnus XL Cargo Spacecraft Released from Station by Canadarm2” — https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/10/09/cygnus-xl-cargo-spacecraft-released-from-station-by-canadarm2/
“Cygnus XL Cargo Spacecraft Departing Station Soon on NASA+” — https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/10/09/cygnus-xl-cargo-spacecraft-departing-station-soon-on-nasa/

Starlink Group 15-25

Provider: SpaceX
Date: October 12, 2026
Time: 11:00 PM UTC
Vehicle: Falcon 9

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation – SpaceX’s project for space-based Internet communication system.

Dragon CRS-2 SpX-35

Provider: SpaceX
Date: October 13, 2026
Time: 10:33 AM UTC
Vehicle: Falcon 9

35th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station operated by SpaceX. The flight will be conducted under the second Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA.

Cargo Dragon 2 brings supplies and payloads, including critical materials to directly support science and research investigations that occur onboard the orbiting laboratory.

USSF-481

Provider: SpaceX
Date: October 15, 2026
Time: 11:44 PM UTC
Vehicle: Falcon 9

A classified mission for the United States Space Force. It is possibly a batch of classified LEO satellites based on SpaceX’s Starshield satellite bus, based on locations of ascent rocket stage drop zones being fits with previous SDA Transport Layer launches.

Martian Moons eXploration (MMX)

Provider: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Date: October 19, 2026
Time: 7:41 PM UTC
Vehicle: H3-24

MMX is a Japanese scientific mission to land on Phobos, one of the two moons of Mars, to collect samples before bringing them back to Earth.

The mission includes a small French/German rover to explore the surface of Phobos.

Amazon Leo (LV-01)

Provider: United Launch Alliance
Date: October 29, 2026
Time: 12:00 AM UTC
Vehicle: Vulcan VC6L

Amazon Leo, formerly known as Project Kuiper, is a mega constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit that will offer broadband internet access, this constellation will be managed by Kuiper Systems LLC, a subsidiary of Amazon. This constellation is planned to be composed of 3,276 satellites. The satellites are projected to be placed in 98 orbital planes in three orbital layers, one at 590 km, 610 km and 630 km altitude.

45 satellites will be carried on each Vulcan launch.