NASA chief in Ottawa, sparked speculation about the new Canadian role of the space station

OTTAVA – The head of the US space agency praised Canada's expertise in artificial intelligence in Ottawa on Tuesday, fueling speculation that Canada will join its next brave vent to unlock the secrets of the Moon.

Jim Bridenstein, Administrator of the National Authority for Aeronautics and Space, said he wants Canada to continue with its decades-long partnership with the United States as it begins to create its new "Lunar Passage" – plans for new generations in the United States are planning to send in orbit around the Moon.

"I want to be clear about how important it is: We want Canada to be a part of it, in a big way. In fact, Canada has unique and exceptional capabilities when it comes to robotics and artificial intelligence," Bridenstein told the event on Tuesday, at the beginning a two-day trip to the capital city.

"The reason I'm here – the whole reason I'm here for the next two days – we want international partners. Canada is the key to the success of this mission."

Bridenstine participated in demonstrations at the University of Carleton by Mission Control, a Canadian company that works on robotic technology that can be used to test soil samples.

This event was a warming up of species for his expected major reward Wednesday at the Aerospace Industries of Canada conference, where speculation is high that will be announced Canada's participation in Lunar Gatevai.

Minister of Innovation Navdeep Bains, the vocal amplifier of Canadian AI centers in Ontario and Quebec, will also speak.

The government wants to improve Canada's reputation in the AI ​​at the international level and looks at the cutting edge sector as a key role in its plans to encourage growth and create what it calls future affairs.

In September, the Canadian Space Agency seemed to be the basis for an expanded partnership with NASA when it issued tenders for projects designed to contribute Canada's position to future space missions involving research into people and robots.

In his speech on Tuesday, Bridenstein chroniced the long cooperation of Canada with the United States, which began in 1962 with the satellite-based Nautical Satellite Alouette-1 and continued with its iconic invention of Canadarma's robotic arm on NASA space shuttles as well contributions of 14 astronauts.

"Now we can do more than we could ever do on the surface of the Moon because of what we can do tele-robotically," Bridenstein said. "And of course, no country on the planet is better in this type of activity than in Canada."

Bridenstein offered a courageous vision of what could be achieved by using a "command module for reuse, so we can go back and forth to the surface of the Moon, over and over again and again with robots, rovers, slaves and people."

Returning to the Moon would be a long-term project that would not end with the plantation of the flag in Apollo and a quick departure, he said.

"This time we go, we will stay."

Just a decade ago, the Indian and NASA missions found water sources on the Moon, which unlocked the potential to create drinking water, breathable air, and even rocket fuel when it was thrown into hydrogen and oxygen and placed in a cryogenic form, said Bridenstine.

"So the question arises: what else do we not know about the Moon?" He said. "The space has transformed the human condition to improve the lives of all … All these possibilities are available because of the paths our countries have pushed."

The president of the Canadian Air Force Agency, Silvain Laporte, did not point his hand on any expected partnership with the United States, but suggested that smooth cooperation was so far.

"While friends are going, sometimes we have some conditions, and sometimes we have some falls," Laporte said at the rally. "But through all the ups and downs of our relationship, the space has always been a great example of how we continue to work together and move the benchmarks forward."