Western planetary geologist Gordon “Oz” Osinski will serve as the project’s principal investigator and scientific leader. His work will include coordinating the science team, developing the overall science plan for the mission, working with the various institutions to finalize their instrument development, and analyzing satellite data from the Moon to identify potential landing sites. Gordon “Oz” Osinski “I’m honestly shocked and it hasn’t sunk in yet,” said Osinski, an earth sciences professor. “It’s a cliché, but I really feel like this is the culmination of everything I’ve worked for throughout my academic career. It’s very, very exciting.” Launched as part of the Canadian Space Agency’s Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP), the lunar rover will demonstrate key technologies for future lunar exploration activities and has science objectives in the fields of geology, shadow regions and aeronautics, as well as health sciences. and life of astronauts. “This is an incredible opportunity for me and an incredible opportunity for Western,” Osinski said. “In the coming years, many students, faculty and staff will play a role in this historic mission as we bring Canada and Western to the Moon.” Osinski’s main area of research focuses on understanding impact cratering as a planetary geological process, on Earth, the Moon and Mars. The principal investigator of the Canadian Lunar Research Network and founder and chair of the Geological Society of Canada’s Division of Planetary Sciences, he also studies economic geology, Precambrian geology, and comparative studies of periglacial and glacial processes in the Canadian Arctic and Mars. Acclaimed international team The 30-kilogram lunar rover will carry multiple science payloads from Canada and the US Canadensys Aerospace, one of Canada’s most innovative space systems companies, leads a broad group of partners including Western, NASA Ames Research Center, NGC Aerospace, Maya Heat Transfer Technologies, Nokia, Bubble Technology Industries, Waves in Space, Simon Fraser University, the University of Winnipeg, l’Université de Sherbrooke, Leap Biosystems, Surrey Satellite Technology and RF Collins. The team’s scientists are among the leading lunar researchers in Canada and the US and are affiliated with core team organizations as well as Arizona State University, the Planetary Science Institute and the University of Alberta. “Canadensys and our team members have been hard at work for the past decade developing many of the key component technologies for lunar rovers. This contract is a testament to that hard work and we are humbled to be given this remarkable opportunity to lead such a distinguished international team to the Moon,” said Christian Sallaberger, president and CEO of Canadensys.
