Canadian Space Agency closing Ottawa spacecraft lab

The Canadian Space Agency has confirmed a west Ottawa spacecraft laboratory it calls "Canada's national facility for spacecraft assembly [and] integration" is closing at the end of March 2025.

The David Florida Labora‐ tory officially opened in 1972 in the Shirley's Bay complex off Carling Avenue.

It's one of the few com‐ plexes in the world that can simulate conditions of a rock‐ et launch and space flight, ac‐ cording to the agency. It also performs some work on an‐ tennas that isn't done any‐ where else.

Work on the Canadarm and the guidance sensor for the James Webb Space Tele‐ scope was carried out there, and the lab continues to pro‐ vide "ongoing support for Canada's contribution to the International Space Station Program."

The facility also had space available for lease to other companies and organiza‐ tions.

The "achievements" sec‐ tion of lab's website lists 41 wins over 50 years on subjec‐ ts such as tracking asteroids, communications technology for Japan and Spain, life on Mars and monitoring changes to Earth's surface water.

Answering an email from CBC on Friday, a space agency spokesperson said the lab is scheduled to close March 31, 2025, after several months of winding down.

"The Canadian Space Agency remains committed to working closely with indus‐ try to help unlock the full po‐ tential of Canada's space sec‐ tor and respond to the reali‐ ties of the new and growing space market," they said.

They declined a request for an interview.

The lab is named after C. David Florida who worked on experimental communica‐ tions satellites and was direc‐ tor of the Canadian National

Space Telecommunications Laboratory when he died in 1971.