Composition : 92,5% silver, 7,5% copper
Mintage : 9,357

A helping hand in space - Celebrating Canadarm on the 5th anniversary of Canada's first spacewalk

A month before Apollo lended onthe moon, Canadian scientists and engineers were reviewing proposals for a project that would produce Canada's national icon for high-tech know-how - the Canadarm.

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) was working on its Space Transportation System (later known as the Space Shuttle) and invited international scientists to participate.

In spring 1974, the Canadian government decided it would contribute to the project by developing the Space Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS). Dubbed the Canadarm, it would be used by theshuttle to seize, maneuver and deploy its payloads in space.

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Canadarm made its debut on November 13, 1981, but the project didn't end there. The first robotic arm ever built for space was so successful that a next-generation arm was developed to build and maintain the International Space Station. On April 22, 2001, Col. Chris Hadfield became the first Canadian to perform a spacewalk as he assembled and installed Canadarm 2 on the Station 400 km (250 mi) above the earth. Dextre, a two-armed robot, will join Canadarm 2 on the station in 2007.

This coin is the first issue of the Canadian Achievement series.
The first coin of the serie, released in 2006, depicts the 5th anniversary of Canadarm.
The second coin of the serie, released in 2007, depicts the Panoramic Photography : Niagara Falls.
The third coin of the serie, released in 2008, depicts the IMAX Experience.
The fourth coin of the serie, released in 2009, depicts the International Year of Astronomy.

CANADIAN ACHIEVEMENTS - CANADARM - 2006 CANADIAN COINS 01 is categorised COINS AND PAPER MONEY / 08- ROYAL CANADIAN MINT / 13- CANADIAN HISTORY and sold by l'Imaginaire, a store and specialised website.