The Technology
of Space
See how rockets push, how the Canadarms changed spaceflight, how Canadian satellites watch ice, floods and farms, how the ISS recycles air and water, and why space junk is a growing problem with more than one answer.
- 00First Principlesp.2
- 01Rocketsp.4
- 02The Canadarmsp.5
- 03Satellitesp.6
- 04Life supportp.7
- 05Space junk & choicesp.8
- ✦Self-check · Make it · 5 Questions · Side Questp.9
You'll need: balloons, string, a straw, tape, a measuring tape and a notebook.
Principles
A first principle is a basic truth you can build on. Space technology rests on four: push gas back and you go forward, robots extend human reach, satellites see the whole Earth and in space, nothing is wasted.
What do I already know?
What is necessary?
Everything in this module is built from four bricks. Rate yourself on each one, then check the example to see if your rating holds up.
What is the objective?
By the end, you’ll be able to explain how rockets work, describe the Canadarm, Canadarm2, Dextre and Canadarm3, explain what satellites do (including Canadian ones), describe how the ISS keeps people alive, and weigh different views on space junk and satellite swarms.
- 01Explain thrust and staging.
- 02Describe the Canadarms and Dextre.
- 03Explain satellite orbits and uses.
- 04Name Canadian satellites.
- 05Describe life support on the ISS.
- 06Weigh views on space debris.
The list on the left is ours. Now make it yours. What do you want out of this?
How much do you know about the technology of space right now? Shade the boxes in pencil. You'll come back at the end (p.9) and shade it again in pen.
Why start this way? When you know what you already have (1), what you need (2) and where you're going (3), you learn faster and you notice the gaps. Every module on the Space Path starts with these same three questions.
Rockets
Every rocket, from a balloon to the SLS, uses the same idea.
Newton’s third law
Every push has an equal and opposite push back. A rocket burns fuel and blasts hot gas down very fast; the gas pushes the rocket up.
Rockets carry their own oxygen (or another oxidizer), so they work in space where there’s no air.
Drop what you don’t need
- Stages: empty fuel tanks are dropped so the rest is lighter.
- NASA’s SLS rocket launched Artemis II with about 8.8 million pounds (about 39 million newtons) of thrust.
- Since 2015, some companies land boosters and fly them again, which can lower costs.
NASA (2026).
The hard part is getting up
Most of a rocket’s launch mass is fuel. To reach orbit, it must go about 28,000 km/h sideways (Lens 1). Each extra kilogram of payload needs much more fuel, which is why engineers fight for every gram.
- Should rockets always be reused? What could go wrong?
- Why does it matter how much a rocket weighs?
Balloon thrust
Blow up a balloon and let it go. Then tape it to a straw on a string and release it. Measure how far it travels. What pushed it?Why do rockets drop stages instead of carrying empty tanks all the way?
The Canadarms
A Canadian invention became one of the most famous tools in space.
Canada’s famous robot arms
| Robot | Years | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Canadarm | 1981–2011 | about 15 m long; flew on 90 Space Shuttle missions |
| Canadarm2 | 2001– | about 17 m; builds and services the ISS, catches cargo ships, “walks” end over end |
| Dextre | 2008– | a two-armed robot “handyman” for repairs |
| Canadarm3 | planned | for the Lunar Gateway station around the Moon |
Canadian Space Agency.
Humans plus robots
- Astronauts on the ISS or teams on Earth (including at the CSA near Montreal) send commands.
- Cameras and sensors show exactly where the arm is.
- Moves are slow and checked step by step: catching a cargo ship takes careful timing.
Robots opened the door
Canada’s decades of space robotics helped earn a Canadian seat on Artemis II, the first crewed Moon flight in more than 50 years. In April 2026, Jeremy Hansen became the first Canadian, and the first non-American, to fly around the Moon (Lens 5).
- Why might a country focus on robot arms instead of rockets?
- What job would you give Canadarm3 on the Moon?
Grabber arm
Build a grabber from rulers or craft sticks and tape. Time how long it takes to pick up and place 3 small objects. Improve it and time it again.Why do robot arms in space move so slowly?
Satellites
Canada has built satellites since 1962, and they watch over the whole country.
Firsts and eyes on Earth
| Satellite | Year | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Alouette 1 | 1962 | Canada became the third country, after the USSR and the U.S., to design and build its own satellite |
| Anik A1 | 1972 | the world’s first domestic communications satellite in geostationary orbit |
| RADARSAT-1 | 1995 | radar images through cloud and darkness |
| Ex-Alta 1 | 2017 | Alberta’s first satellite, built by University of Alberta students |
Canadian Space Agency; University of Alberta.
Seeing through cloud
Radar satellites send out microwaves and time the echoes, so they work at night and through cloud. Canada’s RADARSAT Constellation Mission (three satellites, launched 2019) watches sea ice, floods, wildfires, crops and ships.
GPS satellites help farmers steer tractors and help your phone find you.
Low, middle, high
The ISS and many Earth-watching satellites are in low Earth orbit (a few hundred km up). GPS satellites are about 20,000 km up. TV and weather satellites in geostationary orbit (35,786 km) match Earth’s spin, so they stay over one spot.
- Which satellite service would you miss most if it stopped for a day?
- Should students build satellites? What would yours do?
Satellite day
List every way satellites helped you or your family in one day: weather, maps, TV, banking, farm GPS, phone calls.Why are radar satellites especially useful in northern Canada?
Life support
In space, every breath and every drop is engineered.
The ISS life-support system
- Oxygen: made by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen with electricity.
- Carbon dioxide: filtered out of the air.
- Water: sweat, breath moisture and urine are cleaned and reused; NASA reported recovering about 98% of the crew’s water in 2023.
- Power: huge solar panels.
NASA (2023).
A spaceship for one
A spacesuit supplies oxygen, removes carbon dioxide, keeps a steady pressure, protects from heat, cold and tiny fast-moving particles, and has its own radio. Getting ready for a spacewalk takes hours.
Orion, the Artemis II capsule, had its own life support for four people for about 10 days.
Spin-offs
Tools first developed for spaceflight have found uses on the ground, such as better water filters, scratch-resistant coatings and medical imaging ideas. Robotics know-how from the Canadarms has helped inspire surgical robots.
- Would you drink water recycled from sweat and urine? Why or why not?
- What could Earth learn from space life support?
Habitat sketch
Design a 4-person Moon base. Label how it gets air, water, food, power and protection from radiation. Which system would you make redundant (doubled)?Why do spacecraft carry backups of life-support parts?
Space junk & choices
Technology solves problems, and creates new ones to solve.
A crowded orbit
Old satellites, rocket stages and fragments from collisions circle Earth. Space agencies track tens of thousands of pieces bigger than a softball; millions of tiny bits can’t be tracked. Even a paint fleck can chip a window at orbital speeds.
Canada’s NEOSSat (2013) was the world’s first space telescope built to track asteroids and satellites.
Many views
| Supporters say | Critics say |
|---|---|
| thousands of small satellites bring internet to rural and northern areas | streaks spoil telescope images and dark skies |
| useful for farms, emergencies and remote towns | more objects mean more collision risk |
| costs can fall over time | rules haven’t kept up |
Rules and clean-up
Ideas include designing satellites to burn up at the end of their lives, sharing tracking data, international rules and robot “tow trucks” to remove junk. Different countries and companies disagree on who should pay and how strict the rules should be.
- Who should clean up space junk: the countries or companies that made it?
- How would you balance more satellites with dark skies for astronomers?
Debate prep
Write two strong arguments for and two against allowing thousands more internet satellites. Then write your own view.Why can one collision in orbit lead to many more?
Quick self-check
Six questions, covering every stop. Show your thinking. Answers are upside down at the bottom; no peeking till you're done.
1 · Which law of motion explains rocket thrust?
2 · When did the first Canadarm fly, and when did it retire?
3 · What can Dextre do?
4 · Why was Alouette 1 important?
5 · How does the ISS make oxygen?
6 · Give one view on each side of the satellite-swarm debate.
Re-shade your knowledge meter
How much do you know about the technology of space now? Flip back to p.3 and shade the meter again in pen (or shade this one). Did any of the four bricks on p.2 move from "Not yet" to "Got it"?
Balloon rocket test
Run a fair test on a balloon rocket and explain your best design with Newton’s third law.
1 · Build
Make a balloon rocket on a string between two chairs (about 4 m). Test one change at a time: balloon size, straw length or extra mass.
- String tight and level
- Straw taped to balloon
- Start line marked
- One change per test
2 · Results
| Test | Change | Distance (m) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 3 | ||
| 4 | ||
| 5 |
3 · Fair test?
- Same string and start
- Same blow (count breaths)
- 3 tries each, average
- Results graphed
4 · Explain it
Use Newton’s third law to explain your best result.
Don’t use balloons with anyone who has a latex allergy (use latex-free ones). Keep the string at a safe height, away from faces. Tidy up balloon scraps: they’re a choking hazard for small children and pets.
5 Questions
I Still Have
This module didn't answer everything. Good. Write 5 new questions it didn't answer, one of each type below. There are no wrong questions, only ones nobody's asked yet.
★ Star the one question you'd most like answered. You'll need it on the next page.
1What I'll find out
Break your big question into 2 or 3 smaller ones you could actually answer.
2Where I'll look
3How I'll share it
Who I'll share it with:
Done by: