Tucked between a spa and a shawarma shop outside Toronto, you’ll find a building that looks anything but space-age.
Yet inside, Canadensys Aerospace is quietly preparing Canada’s first trip to the Moon.
The company is building a 35kg lunar rover—the first Canadian-led planetary exploration mission.
Its job? Hunt for water, measure radiation, and survive the brutal lunar nights that swing from searing heat to deadly cold.
What Are The Challenges?
“It’s not just surviving the cold,” says CEO Dr. Christian Sallaberger, “it’s swinging between very cold and very hot.
That’s one of the biggest challenges.”
If it sounds like sci-fi, that’s the point. “People get excited about Star Wars or Star Trek,” Sallaberger adds. “This is the real thing.”
The rover, part of NASA’s Artemis program, will land on the Moon’s south pole—an unforgiving region where scientists hope to confirm the presence of water.
Lunar geologist Dr. Gordon Osinski explains the stakes: “Water could be game-changing.
It’s not just for drinking. Break it down, and you’ve got hydrogen fuel. The Moon could become a petrol station for space.”
Canada has dreamed of this for decades. Now, after years of prototypes and setbacks, it’s finally happening.
