--- title: "Canada Wants to Land Its Own Rover on the Moon by 2026" description: "The Canadian Space Agency wants to send its own rover to the surface of the Moon with the help of NASA within the next five years." date: "2021-05-26" modified: "2021-05-26" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/canadian-lunar-lander-2026" categories: - "Astronomy" - "Moon" - "Space" tags: - "canada" - "lunar lander" - "moon" - "the digest" --- # Canada Wants to Land Its Own Rover on the Moon by 2026 ![The Canadian Space Agency wants to send its own rover to the surface of the Moon with the help of NASA within the next five years.]() *\Image: Futurism\* ## Canadian Rover The Canadian Space Agency wants to [send its own rover]() to the surface of the Moon, with the help of NASA, within the next five years. The agency is now looking to chose two Canadian companies to develop concepts and science instruments. As a sign of good faith and commitment to the mission, François-Philippe Champagne, minister of innovation, science and industry, announced a $2.5 million investment in lunar exploration technology initiatives. "The results of these efforts will improve life for everyone, in space and on Earth," Champagne said in [a statement](). "They will also put Canada at the forefront of space innovation while creating the good jobs of tomorrow." ## Getting Crowded Canada is the latest country to take steps towards exploring the lunar surface. So far, the US, the Soviet Union, and China are the [only nations]() to have successfully landed landers on the Moon. Several other countries have recently attempted to land their own landers as well. Both [India]() and [Israel]() made attempts back in 2019, but both failed to safely reach the surface. Canada is also looking to build an articulated robotic arm called Canadarm3 for NASA's upcoming Lunar Gateway, a small outpost in lunar orbit that will serve as a stepping stone for deep space travel and trips down to the lunar surface. The arm will be the successor of Canadarm2, a 55-foot robotic arm attached to the outside of the International Space Station. The CSA is hoping its investments will lead to big returns as well as contributing up to 21,000 jobs as well as $2 billion to Canada's economy. And with NASA's help, it has a decent chance of making it safely to the lunar surface. **READ MORE:** [Canada moves forward with plans to explore the Moon]() \[Government of Canada\] **More on lunar landers:** *[SpaceX Secures NASA Contract to Launch Lunar Lander]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()