Description

The space race between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War is arguably the most famous international rivalry in modern history. Few, however, are aware that Canada was also an early contender in space exploration. Indeed, in 1962, Canada bested the more powerful United Kingdom to become the third nation to reach outer space.

In Defence and Discovery, Andrew Godefroy presents the first comprehensive examination of the origins, development, and impact of Canada's space program. Drawing on newly declassified archival sources and a wealth of secondary material, Godefroy puts Canada's early space research into context and demonstrates the central role of military enterprise in these endeavours. He also reveals the technological, political, and strategic implications of the country's early innovation in space-research technology, and its subsequent turn from this arena.

Most nations have proudly documented their efforts in space exploration, but historians of Canada have been slow to delve into this important era. Defence and Discovery opens the records, illuminating a highly secretive and significant period in the country's military and strategic history.