x-MDA'er

Is the Macdonald Dettwiler/Alliant Space Deal Dead?

I worked at MDA and on the Radarsat-2 program from 2001-2003, and with 20years of space industry experience in the US it was clear during that time that MDA's management were living fast and free with reality. Building the company up into a "world class space company" is not realistic in Canada as there are simply not enough govenment contracts to support it; contracts which form the foundation of all the successful American and European industry. Try as they might, acquire as much as they did, MDA's business model was doomed and only foolish notions of being players in the international space industry by MDA's senior management kept them going for as long as they did.

Can there be a Canadian space prime contractor? Clearly the answer is no unless the govenment is willing to spend much more on space. The government tried building Spar into one and failed; that company broke up and is no more. Then they threw hordes of money at MDA only to see them give up and looking for a profitable exit. Canada needs smaller, more nimble space companies that can succeed internationally like Comdev rather than ones trying to become the next Lockheed. That is where your success will lie.