The Big Story What is Canada's stake in the future on the moon?
Apr 7, 2026
Olivier Lamarr, robotics engineer and lead roboticist at NordSpace, brings lunar robotics and rover expertise. He discusses Artemis II’s test objectives and the crew’s lunar flyby. He explores why humans paused lunar returns, the strategic value of the lunar south pole, and Canada’s role from Canadarm legacy to new private rover plans.
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Artemis II Is A Test Of Orion In Deep Space
- Artemis II is primarily a test flight to validate the Orion capsule with humans aboard before committing to lunar surface missions.
- The capsule follows a free return trajectory that slingshots around the moon without entering lunar orbit, proving crewed deep-space operations work.
Crew Will Photograph The Hidden Face During A Communications Blackout
- During the lunar flyby the crew will photograph the far side and run imaging experiments while out of radio contact with Earth for ~30–40 minutes.
- The crew will see the hidden face and an Earthrise before communications re-establish, providing unique human-led observations.
Lunar South Pole Holds Resources For Sustained Presence
- The lunar south pole is the strategic target for future crewed landings because permanently shadowed crater floors likely hold water ice and other volatiles.
- Those volatiles could be split into fuel, air, and water, reducing mass and cost of sustained lunar presence.