MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd

MacDONALD, DETTWILER AND ASSOCIATES LTD (MDA), based in RICHMOND, is a world-class provider of information services and space technology. Founded in 1969 by Dr John S. MacDonald (d. 26 Dec 2019), a PRINCE RUPERT native, the company is diversified across international space, Internet systems development and information product markets. In 1999 the company acquired the robotics division of Spar Aerospace, developers of the Canadarm, the mechanical arm attached to the US space shuttle. It also acquired RADARSAT International, worldwide distributors of satellite imagery for mapping, environmental monitoring and disaster management applications. MDA was owned by Orbital Sciences Corp of Virginia until 2001 when the company was purchased by a group of Canadian pension funds. In 2008 it tried to sell its space division to an American space and weapons manufacturer but the federal government stepped in to quash the sale, ruling that it was not of net benefit to Canada. Since that time MDA's space division has flourished. The company's revenue reached $1.2 billion in 2007.