Skymaker
MDA Space's commercial robotic arm product line, adapting Canadarm3 technology for deployment on commercial space stations and lunar surface vehicles.
Last refreshed: 6 April 2026
MDA went commercial while Canada's government stayed silent. Who actually speaks for Canada in space?
Latest on Skymaker
- What is Skymaker from MDA Space?
- Skymaker is MDA Space's commercial robotic arm product line, adapting Canadarm3 technology for commercial space stations such as Starlab and NASA's Lunar Terrain Vehicle programme.Source: MDA Space announcement
- Why is Canada not talking about Canadarm3 during Artemis II?
- CSA's daily logbooks through Day 5 of Artemis II contained zero mention of Canadarm3 or Lunar Gateway. Meanwhile, MDA Space launched its Skymaker commercial line as a private-sector hedge against the government's silence.Source: Artemis II mission updates
Background
Skymaker is MDA Space's commercial robotic arm product line, launched to pitch Canadarm3-derived technology to commercial space stations and NASA's Lunar Terrain Vehicle programme. The announcement came as Canada's government observed six days of institutional silence on Canadarm3's future, with CSA's daily logbooks through Artemis II Day 5 containing zero mention of either Canadarm3 or Lunar Gateway.
MDA Space developed Canadarm3 under a $1 billion contract with the Canadian Space Agency for deployment on Lunar Gateway. Skymaker adapts that technology for sale to non-government customers, specifically targeting Starlab (Voyager Space/Airbus) and the NASA Lunar Terrain Vehicle. The commercial pivot is significant: MDA is hedging against Gateway's uncertain timeline by creating a revenue stream that does not depend on CSA or NASA's programme decisions.
The launch of Skymaker during Artemis II's live mission, while Canadian officials stayed silent, is a pointed signal. MDA is not waiting for Ottawa to define Canada's lunar role. The product line represents a bet that commercial demand for space robotics will outpace government procurement timelines.