Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, announced that Bubble Technology Industries has been awarded a contract valued at $5.5 million to develop the Canadian Active Neutron Spectrometer (CANS), a compact and autonomous instrument designed to measure neutron radiation exposure in space.
Radiation is one of the key challenges faced by astronauts living and working beyond the protective shield of Earth's atmosphere. Neutron radiation, which constitutes about 30% of total radiation in space vehicles, is especially harmful because it can cause serious biological damage and requires specialized protective measures. As Canada and its international partners advance plans for missions to the Moon, and eventually Mars, understanding exposure levels becomes increasingly important.
Data collected by CANS will allow researchers to understand how neutron radiation affects astronauts during space missions of six months or more, supporting the development of better measures to reduce risks. Beyond space exploration, data generated by CANS has potential applications on Earth, including cancer therapy, radiation protection for aircrews, nuclear threat detection and public safety, as well as nuclear and particle physics research.
CANS will have the unique combined capabilities of working continuously and autonomously, whereas previous Canadian technologies were larger or mostly relied on human intervention. This project builds on Canada's long-standing expertise in developing radiation detection technology for space missions and reinforces the country's role as a relevant partner in space exploration.
