MONTREAL - The head of the umbrella organization for aerospace companies in Canada calls the Obama administration's budget a great opportunity for the space business in this country.
Monday's U.S. budget kills the Constellation Program -- the manned mission to return to the moon -- and refocuses NASA spending closer to Earth.
NASA administrator Charlie Bolden foresees more participation by the commercial space flight industry and a partnership approach involving the United States and its international partners. NASA will also extend the life of the International Space Station until 2020.
Claude Lajeunesse, the CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, says the Obama budget focuses on areas like robotics development where Canada is very strong.
"We all know the Canadarm is one of the best accomplishments we're ever had in the country and that is in line with the announcement that U.S. President Obama made," he said in an interview Tuesday.
"I would say that it's a great opportunity for Canadian companies."
But Lajeunesse again called on the Harper government to adopt and support a clear long-term space plan.
Steve MacLean, the head of the Canadian Space Agency, has been working on the plan for more than a year.
Lajeunesse says he hopes it will be part of the federal budget to be presented in March.
Former astronaut Marc Garneau says Canada's long-term space plan has been sitting in Industry Minister Tony Clement's office since last fall.
"In the space business, for a single project, things take often, six to 10 years, so having a long-term space plan is an absolute necessity," Garneau, the Liberal industry, defence and technology critic, told The Canadian Press.
"It's very important to get it out as soon as possible so the Canadian Space Agency can reorient itself and know what it's going to be doing for the next five to 10 years."
CSA spokeswoman Carole Duval said the agency is reviewing the Obama budget and will speak to NASA "to see how we can work together on these initiatives."
An official with MacDonald, Dettweiler and Associates, which built Canadarms for the U.S. space shuttles and the space station, welcomes NASA's proposed new direction which puts the emphasis on increased international partnerships.
Christian Sallaberger, MDA's vice-president and director of space exploration, says his company "can definitely support the plan."
"We have considerable expertise in developing solutions for robotics exploration as well as the forward-thinking mindset that embraces commercial delivery."
Sallaberger says MDA is ready to continue its support of NASA and the CSA with the delivery of more robotic arms, space landers and rovers.
"We're excited about this and we definitely feel we have a lot to contribute with this new vision," he added.
Halifax-based Nautel Inc. is another company that stands to benefit from NASA's plans,which could include an electric propulsion system where trips to Mars would take weeks instead of nearly a year.
Nautel has developed a power generator for Ad Astra Rocket Company of Texas, which is working on a so-called plasma rocket propulsion system.
"It's kind of a Star Trek possibility," said John Whyte, Nautel's head of marketing.
He said NASA's plan to get to Mars "brings a lot of excitement and a lot of momentum to the work our company has been doing."
Whyte added that the new rocket engine also could be used on the space station to help it stay in orbit.
Chuck Black, the secretary-treasurer of the Canadian Space Commerce Association, says NASA's change of direction came as no surprise.
Black, whose organization represents 40 small subcontractors, maintains Canada moved away from its reliance on the United States "a long time ago."
"This public acknowledgment of where the American space agency is going is something the Canadian Space Agency has been aware of for some time."
