Defence and Discovery—Canada's Military Space Program, 1945-74

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.

Andrew B. Godefroy is a strategic analyst and historian with the Canadian Department of National Defence, as well as the editor-in-chief of the Canadian Army Journal. He previously served with the Directorate of Space Development, National Defence Headquarters, and was an official historian for the Canadian Space Agency.