MONTREAL — NASA’s decision to scrub the launch of its new moon rocket is disappointing but necessary due to another leak found ahead of the planned test flight, Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques said Saturday.
The Artemis 1 mission, which aims to send an uncrewed NASA Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket to the moon, was delayed after the rocket sprang a fuel leak, forcing controllers to call off the second attempt this week.
Monday’s first effort to send a crew capsule with test dummies aboard into lunar orbit was also aborted due to escaping hydrogen elsewhere on the 98-metre NASA-built rocket.
The test flight is slated to be the first return to the moon after almost 50 years.
Saint-Jacques, who was set to watch the launch from the Canadian Space Agency headquarters in suburban Montreal, said the excited space buff in him was disappointed but the sober engineer knows it was the right call.
“It’s the right thing to do, there’s no need to rush to launch,” Saint-Jacques said.
It wasn’t immediately clear when NASA may try again. Saint-Jacques said a window remains open until about Tuesday, but after that the moon won’t be in the right spot in the sky for a few weeks.
NASA administrator Bill Nelson said Saturday the launch will be off until October if the rocket has to return to the hangar for repairs.
The $4.1 billion test flight is the first step in NASA’s Artemis program of renewed lunar exploration, named after the twin sister of Apollo in Greek mythology.
Saint-Jacques said the test flight is an important one, noting a Canadian astronaut is expected to be part of Artemis 2, the first crewed flight since Apollo 17 in 1972, which is slated to fly around the moon and return in 2024.
The flight would make Canada the second country ever to send someone around the moon.
“That’ll be huge for our nation,” Saint-Jacques said. “Everyone remembers where they were when Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, well I think everyone will remember where they were when a Canadian launches for the moon.”
Canada is also contributing Canadaarm 3 to the Lunar Gateway, a planned orbiting lunar space station set to be a key part of the Artemis program. Canadian researchers and firms are involved in the program as well.
Saint-Jacques said the Artemis program will reintroduce humans to the lunar environment, but also provides a training ground for missions to Mars. The first step, however, is to get the Artemis 1 mission off the launch pad so scientists can learn everything they need to from the test run.
“Like many Canadians, I’m anxiously waiting for a successful launch of Artemis I. But as you know, this is a very complex mission and it’s important to see this done safely and to do this right,” Champagne said.
“We’ve waited almost 50 years for humans to go back to the moon, so whether it’s waiting a few days or a few weeks, Canada will be front and centre in humanity’s next steps in space exploration.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 3, 2022.
EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.
Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.
Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.
Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.
Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.
RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.
Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.
But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.
“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.
While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.
Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.
The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.
It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.
Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.
The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.
Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”
However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.
McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.
He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.
The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
