Canada: no ESA Mars rover

[Dr Mordrid]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/12/14/mars-rover.html

The federal government has turned down a request by Canada's space industry to support a contract that would have allowed the companies to build the European Space Agency's Mars surface rover, CBC News has learned.

The decision stunned the companies and has left the ESA scrambling to find a new partner, as no European firm is adequately prepared to match the technical abilities of Canadian firms to build its ExoMars rover.
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What is it with Canadian governments?

Starting years ago with the Arrow to this today they almost always take positions that cause them to lose their best aerospace engineers in 'brain drains' to countries that will support their efforts

[Greebe]

The Arrow program being as highly classified as it was had been infilterated by the KGB. The Soviets already had much of the documentation and this was why the program was cancelled in haste.

As for what's up with CA, dunno why they keep doing this, but don't see the starting point being with the Arrow.

[Dr Mordrid]

I mentioned it because they lost so many engineers to 'brain drain' after the cancellation, causing a cascade effect in non-military projects & business.

What's odd is that the program was to be revenue neutral after adjustment to lower priority programs and it had the support of both the US and EU space agencies.

IMO totally screwed priorities.

[Greebe]

Agreed, brain drain

When I heard the full story (well as much could be told publicly) were going to use US made Bomark anti aircraft defenses to repel any air attack I laughed. Obviously there were alot of silly mistruths the US goverment made up to offset the truth back during the Cold War.