I’m a bit late to this party as the new bills were launched, so to speak, from outer space by Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian to command the International Space Station, along with the usual suspects. In at least one quarter, there’s more than a hint of envy regarding our sexy new $5 bill. From the May 1, 2013 article by Kadim Shubber for UK Wired,

Though it pains us to say it, Canada may have “out cooled” the UK (but just this once).

Canada’s new $5 note features an astronaut, a view of Earth from space, and, yes, space robots. The UK’s new £5 note will feature… Sir Winston Churchill.

Canada’s Financial Post, in an Apr. 28, 2013 piece about both new bills, noted this,

Focus groups consulted about the proposed images for the new bank note series thought the space motif of the new five-dollar bill looked childish.

Others were left scratching their heads over the depiction of Dextre, a Canadian robotic handyman on board the International Space Station.

Some people wrongly assumed Dextre was the name of an astronaut shown on the bill, while others had no clue who the name referred to.

Here’s what the fuss is all about (you can find a larger image at http://www.flickr.com/photos/bankofcanada/8694157272/_),

Here’s more about the launch from the Apr. 30, 2013 Bank of Canada news release,

While orbiting more than 350 kilometres above Earth, Commander Hadfield gave Canadians their first look at the new $5 polymer note. It features images of Canadarm2 and Dextre – robotics innovations used to build and maintain the Space Station and that symbolize Canada’s ongoing contribution to the international space program.

“I try to inspire young Canadians to aim high. This new $5 bill should do the same,” Commander Hadfield said. “By giving prominence to Canadian achievements in space, this bank note reminds us that not even the sky is the limit.”

The front of the $5 note features a portrait of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Prime Minister of Canada from 1896 to 1911.

One of the Canadian leaders in our robotics space exploration programme is MDA, which was founded in Richmond, BC. From MDA’s space exploration webpage,

MDA’s robotic systems have enabled human spaceflight for nearly three decades, assembling space infrastructure, servicing space assets, supporting spacewalks, and safe berthing of visiting space vehicles. With exploration entering a new era of deeper space transportation and commercial crew and cargo services, MDA’s next generation robotic systems and advanced technologies are being developed to meet the future needs of human space infrastructure.

…

As global space agencies turn their attention to the next steps in planetary exploration, MDA has developed a broad portfolio of advanced planetary technology spanning robotics, vision, instruments, and complete rover vehicles to support future international missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

MDA’s solutions have helped advance the boundaries of robotic exploration, from vision systems for orbital rendezvous and proximity operations, to robotic arms and mechanisms aboard every one of NASA’s Mars rovers and landers, and planetary science instruments that include the Phoenix Meteorological Station, MSL’s APXS spectrometer currently en route to Mars, and the OLA mapping LIDAR for NASA’s OSIRIS-REX asteroid mission.

You can find out more about Canadarm2 and DEXTRE on the MDA website. As for the new $5 and $10 bills, they will be put into circulation in November 2013.

I last mentioned in Hadfield in connection with a National Film Board of Canada Space School in my Apr. 22, 2013 posting.