Fall / Automne 2017 13 Custom avionics control the experiment, measure the performance of the rocket, and log data for post-processing. After a few top five finishes, in 2016, the team received first place in the Basic Category (10,000 feet) and the Jim Furfaro Award for Technical Excellence. Team lead Robert Houde highlighted one of the new features added for the 2017 competition: an ejection system relying on noble gases only instead of the traditional black powder. This novel technology earned the team the 2017 Dr. Gil Moore Award for Innovation. Looking forward, the team is working towards getting access to the test facilities needed to push their designs to the Advanced Category. for a national space strategy and provides two main recommendations to (i) designate space as a national strategic asset, and (ii) expand the role of the SAB. The first recommendation links all of the aforementioned topics from this article. It further emphasizes the need for the gov- ernment department and agencies to work together to synchronize policies to form a whole-of-government approach needed as the basis for a national space program. As an example, this would include imple- menting interdepartmental standards for space data organization, collection, analysis, storage, and distribution. Some attempts for an integrated approach are already under- way as described in a CASI ASTRO 2016 conference paper entitled “RCM Data Util- ization & Application Plan” by Daniel de Lisle from the Canadian Space Agency. Other important steps would be updating procurement policies to favour domestic products and acquiring space services from the private sector as opposed to government owned and operated space systems. These two policies combined would create a more the 72 Canadian applicants shortlisted at that stage of the competition were living abroad at the time of application. Comments made by participants at the Space Advisory Board’s young professionals meeting reflected this concern: a frequent theme being that many bright individuals are looking to develop their career elsewhere, with a sizeable num- ber of participants calling in from the United States and Europe. THE SAB RECOMMENDATIONS The SAB report entitled “Consultations on Canada’s Future in Space: What we Heard” was released in August 2017. It describes the roundtable discussions as being filled with “bold, aggressive, and inspirational” ideas Preparing the next generation The education and outreach discussions stressed the important role space plays in developing STEM activities to inspire the next generation. However, besides the trad- itional methods involving astronauts and flagship missions, the discussions focused on the important roles played by some of the non-traditional initiatives. There are stu- dent competitions that develop leaders who become ambassadors for the sector visiting schools, using their enthusiasm to connect with pre-university students, and challenge this cohort to think big. These activities are driven by a push to train highly qualified personnel for the space industry. However, there is strong evidence that graduates from Canadian space programs lack opportunities for employment in Canada; e.g., the CSA’s recent astronaut search revealed that 26 of There is strong evidence that graduates from Canadian space programs lack opportunities for employment in Canada; e.g., the CSA’s recent astronaut search revealed that 26 of the 72 Canadian applicants shortlisted were living abroad at the time of application. Rocketry team from École de technologie supérieure, Montreal