With the space shuttle program drawing to a close in 2010, there is no doubt Canada could be a key player in future space exploration. The question is, what course should the Canadian Space Agency chart in the coming years?

Earlier this month NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander took off with a Canadian designed meteorological station that will to track the weather and climate on the red planet.

And Canadian robotics were showcased with the use of Canadarm and Canadarm2 on the latest shuttle Endeavour mission, including spacewalks conducted by Canadian astronaut Dave Williams and American Rick Mastracchio.

Robotics for the shuttle and the International Space Station have been Canada's most significant contribution to the space program so far, and next up year will see the launch of Dextre, a two-armed robot designed for repairs to the ISS.

Steve MacLean, Chief Astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency, tells CTV.ca that while the Canadarm may not be the most complex system, it is an "elegant and efficient" piece of robotics, and one that has given Canada a positive reputation around the world.

"There's no doubt that we have established a niche that we need to maintain," he said. "There's a lot of competition out there, but so far, we have established a niche that puts us in the lead."

But he believes it is crucial for the CSA to expand its role in space exploration beyond that niche.

Benoit Marcotte, acting director of operations and assets for the Canadian Space Agency, told the Canadian Press earlier this month the agency is still looking at possibilities for future partnerships.

MacLean says the moon and the Mars missions are likely objectives, if Canada stays in the robotics business.

"The knowledge we've gained on the space station with our robotics will be used on the surface of the moon and on the planet Mars as well. And that's going to be fun if we actually end up doing that," he said.

"And I think there is a good chance we'll be involved with surface mobility on the moon and on the surface of Mars, and robotics is an integral part of that."

ISS and beyond

As the construction of the International Space Station draws to a close in 2010, the station must be maintained -- and it's possible the station could last beyond its expected design lifespan of 30 years.

MacLean says: "We started building it in 1998, and nine years later, the shift has gone a little bit back to being a test platform for future flights, and the Americans have shifted their focus to that, there no question about that."

Since the Mars missions are also decades into the future, MacLean says the moon will become a testing ground for the many subsystems that will be needed to reach, land on and explore the red planet.

But more than anything, the International Space Station will stand as a testament for decades to come of what global teamwork can accomplish.

"The Space Station is, internationally, the largest project ever .... there's 80-some odd nations involved," MacLean says. "And I think that's the great strength of the station, that we can show children in each of those nations that we can work together, is something we can be proud of and something we can celebrate when the time comes."

Canadians, he said, will certainly continue to contribute significantly to the tools and techniques being used in crucial roles outside of Earth's atmosphere.

MacLean hopes the public will keep watching the process, because "It's a fascinating experience and...there's always a tiny bit of melodrama every day that makes it exciting."

With files from Canadian Press