20.10.2025

Remote healthcare in space. Credit: Canadian Space Agency.

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has posted a tender notice for the Canadian Active Neutron Spectrometer (CANS) technology designed to protect astronauts from radiation.

The technology was first proposed by Bubble Technology Industries (BTI) and they were awarded a contract from the CSA from their health technologies initiative in 2019. Then in 2023 BTI were awarded a Phase A contract for $505Kfor CANS.

BTI is located in Chalk River, Ontario and describes itself as “a technology firm that provides advanced commercial, homeland security, and defence solutions in radiation, explosives, and contraband detection.”

Now the CSA is moving forward with Phase BCDE which includes designing, delivering and operating a space-quality CANS. The technology is being designed specifically to monitor radiation on the International Space Station and the Artemis program’s Gateway around the moon. 

The CSA’s 2025–26 Departmental Plan (DP) did mention that this technology development would be going forward. In the DP, it stated that “the data generated by CANS will also be used to support science research and for medical operations to support astronauts’ health.”

It is not the only health initiative from the CSA this year. The CSA said they “will select up to seven additional scientific protocols to investigate health risks associated with space travel using research facilities on the ISS. These space health studies also help us understand the impacts of reduced levels of physical activity and issues that affect older adult populations on Earth.”

Quelle: spaceQ