Spartans Events, Nominal Timetable
a) Luncheons held on a Thursday in October, and on a Thursday in May
b) Pictures published on SPARtans website within 2 weeks of Luncheon
c) Post luncheon report issued to membership within 4 weeks
d) Invitation to Luncheon sent in Email and on Website 6 weeks before date of event
e) Menu released about 2 weeks before event
a) Luncheons held on a Thursday in October, and on a Thursday in May
b) Pictures published on SPARtans website within 2 weeks of Luncheon
c) Post luncheon report issued to membership within 4 weeks
d) Invitation to Luncheon sent in Email and on Website 6 weeks before date of event
e) Menu released about 2 weeks before event
- Notes: Automatic Links in Red text, Check the latest Date of Web site update given at the bottom of the page
- Mar15: Lilly Dyke passed away Dec 2022 at age of 95 in Denmark. Spar phone directories 1977 and 1984 show Lilly and son’s Chris and Thomas working at Spar Aerospace St Anne de Bellevue. Sadly, her sons have also passed away. Her obituary is posted in the News/Blog Obituary section.
- Mar15: We have posted a current Listing of 138 News/Blog Obituaries items (since Web Site creation) as a sub section under the News/Blog Obituary page. This will permit a user to zero in on a particular item for the Month and year as opposed to scrolling down through 138 items. The Yes items are tagged with automatic call up links. Too tedious to create these links for all items. List News Blogs Obituaries.
- Feb 26: Peter Oswald passed away on Feb 20 at 92 years, (1932-2024). He was the Spar PA Director 1978 -1996 at St Anne's. Obituary is posted under News/Blog Obituaries.
- Feb 26: Spartan Club Dues $20 for 2024-2025 should be submitted by the Members, Email notice will be sent by Susan Sztyk as reminder.
- Feb 26: Via Satellite (Daily News Feed) nominated six CEOs for "Satellite Executive of the year for 2023". MDA (Mike Greenley), L3Harris, Northrup Grumman, Eutelsat, Rocket Lab, DIFI (Consortium chairman). Interesting Web Site article about MDA, Space_News_MDA_Article_Feb2024.pdf (staffbase.com)
Feb 26: Memory Bank Narrative Page problems still exist, document display, automatic Links still not working. Is this a personal computer problem or a Weebly 100-megabit limit (Net) download being reached for this page? - Nov 15, Our Condolences go out to Stephen Zadrozny, his wife Ilse passed away on Oct 31, 2023. Ilse had an accomplished career in music and theater. Obituary is posted in the News/Blog Obituaries section.
- Nov 17, MDA has received an Authorization to Proceed (ATP) contract from an undisclosed customer to start work on a new Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) satellite constellation. The ATP, valued at approximately $180 million, is to immediately commence engineering and programmatic activities, including the procurement of long-lead items. The full constellation, valued at a minimum of $750 million, is expected to include a minimum of 36 MDA software-defined digital satellites. A definitive contract for the full constellation, for which MDA would be the prime contractor, is expected in 2024, subject to contract finalization.
- Nov 23, as part of its UK expansion, MDA has announced plans to hire 75 new employees in the UK by the end of 2024, doubling its current UK workforce of 75 existing staff. The company is now actively recruiting for entry level to senior positions in critical engineering disciplines including systems, payload, antenna, software, electronics and assembly, integration and test.
- In Dec, MDA St Anne's is transferring Finance Dept. and Software Eng. Personnel to a rented facility located near Lamborighini Car Dealership, Trans Canada Hwy Kirkland. This frees space for continued expansion of Engineering personnel.
- The RCA-MDA Timeline in the Spartan Web Site has no details on RCA Research Montreal, nor the facility being sold by Spar to MPB Technology ownership under Dr M Bachynski, nor his numerous accomplishments. He started employment with RCA in 1955. We have added a write up covering the details in the Memory Bank Narratives, with inputs from Al Evers on MPB.
- Note 1: Succession Planning, the club needs a volunteer member as backup for Ed Sorochan at 84 years for overall club management. This will cover all aspects: Membership, Web Site postings/payment, RBC Bank account, maintenance of Excel files: Membership List, Dues Record, Memorial List, PPT file: Honour Role List, Luncheons, etc. with help from committee members. One-on-One, Hands-On training as required will be arranged by Ed, primarily for Web Site management.
- Note 2: "Live Newsfeed for MDA and CSA on Newsfeeds and Space Sites" page (In-active and is not maintained)
    Welcome to the Club SPARtans
We are pioneers and veterans of the Canadian space industry, having worked at and/or retired from RCA Canada Limited SPAR Aerospace Limited EMS Technologies Canada Ltd. MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) Maxar Techologies |