Next-generation manufacturing in Canada (NGen), the not-for-profit industry association that manages one of Canada’s five Global Innovation Clusters, today announced it will provide $4.6 million in public and private sector funding for six space sector projects.
All of the projects are related to a program focused on in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) on the Moon, and are part of a broader NGen announcement today of 15 new projects totaling $59 million.
The program, called “Moonshot for mining, minerals and manufacturing” was carried out with financial support from the Canadian Space Agency. According to NGen CEO Jayson Meyers, “it is intended to help meet the challenges of establishing a permanent human presence on the Moon, including “leveraging Canada’s strengths in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum sensing and additive manufacturing that can then be reapplied on Earth.”
SpaceQ reached out to Meyers to discuss the announcement. We also spoke to St. Catherines-based Destiny Copper founder and CEO Greg Hanna about his “moonshot” copper oxide project receiving funding.
NGen and space funding
Meyers said NGen was founded in 2017 to “drive business-led innovation initiatives in the Canadian manufacturing sector,” and was selected by the federal government to manage the Canadian Advanced Manufacturing Cluster in 2018. Its role, she said, is to “drive collaboration among private sector partners to lead advanced manufacturing innovation projects that are funded by the federal government through ISED’s GIC program and leverage significant private sector investment.”
So far, he said, they have made investments from public and private funds in “211 cluster projects with 483 industrial partners,” ranging from quantum technologies to “the digitalization of advanced steel manufacturing processes.” This is their first investment in Canada’s growing space sector.
Meyers said this particular investment program is connected to the CSA. Moon Gate Initiative. NGen initially developed an opportunity document in partnership with the Canadian Space Mining Corporation outlining a “mission-driven innovation strategy” for the Canadian manufacturing sector, which ultimately led to this “Moonshot” investment program in space-related technology.
Meyers said this round of projects is set to be completed by February 2025. While this is currently “NGen’s first and only investment in partnership with the CSA,” he said, he did not close the door on future work, noting that “NGen has worked on projects involving partners from the private space sector and the aerospace industry, such as MDA (Space).”
Destiny Copper Oxide Project
The Canadian Space Mining Corporation (CSMC) was one of the beneficiaries; it will work with Destiny Copper on a project called “Sustainable Copper Oxide for Lunar Applications.” Destiny Copper will be the project lead, with CSMC as a partner. CSMC is also leading a separate project on “Swarm Construction.”
Destiny Copper is a company that focuses on sustainable copper extraction. Hanna explained that the company has “developed the world’s first Cleantech copper extraction process that requires near-zero energy to produce high-purity copper and copper powder… from waste streams and even old mine tailings.” The company’s “sustainably produced copper powder,” he said, will be used in additive manufacturing (3D printing) of aerospace parts, as well as “space applications.” The company is moving to “full commercialization,” he said, and is already taking orders from the electric vehicle battery sector.
This particular project, however, is all about copper oxide. Hanna said its process can “leach oxide minerals very easily into solution” and can then extract the copper metal powder using chemical processes (rather than energy). Because of that, the company is exploring the possibility of taking copper oxide powder into space and then using its chemical process to break down the oxide powder into copper and oxygen.
Hanna explained that this could be a very efficient way to transport both copper and oxygen to a lunar project. Copper oxide, he said, “is 20.1% oxygen, and therefore 20.1% of the mass transported would be oxygen.” Since oxygen is part of an oxide, it would be more stable and denser than if it were transported as oxygen or water, potentially allowing for easier transport. Once on site, the copper and oxygen could be chemically separated and the oxygen could be used for combustion or life support, while the copper could be used as part of additive manufacturing processes.
Since copper will likely need to be transported to the Moon anyway, this could make transportation more efficient. Destiny (and partner CSMC) will receive $2.3 million for the project in total: $1.15 million from NGen and another $1.16 million from industry.
Other successful projects
Other successful moonshot projects include:
- Machine learning technology for fast and easy setup of autonomous robots ($500,000): Led by Guidebolt Inc with Lauer as a partner.
- UGPS for Space Exploration ($499,999): Led by Aposys Technologies with Cheetah Networks as a partner.
- Swarm Construction ($499,623): Led by CSMC with Mission Control as a partner.
- Critical Mineral Assets and Reserves Characterization and Presentation ($274,623) – Led by Sayona with MayaHTT as partner.
- Rare Earth Element Doped Nanoalumina Manufacturing ($500,059): Led by AEM Technologies Inc. with Neoctech as a partner.
In today’s NGen funding announcement, François-Philippe Champagne, Federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, said the government is “proud to partner with NGen to accelerate innovation and advancements in support of our key advanced manufacturing sectors,” and that these projects “drive the development and adoption of cutting-edge solutions and deliver significant benefits to Canadians while creating jobs and contributing to economic growth.”
In the announcement, Myers also said NGen is “creating public-private partnerships across provincial boundaries that are building world-leading advanced manufacturing capabilities in Canada.”
