Comments on: Canadian government blocks MDA-ATK deal http://www.spacepolitics.com/2008/04/10/canadian-government-blocks-mda-atk-deal/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=canadian-government-blocks-mda-atk-deal Because sometimes the most important orbit is the Beltway... Wed, 17 Sep 2014 13:35:41 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.38 By: Space Politics » Cautious optimism about space in Canada http://www.spacepolitics.com/2008/04/10/canadian-government-blocks-mda-atk-deal/#comment-237850 Thu, 07 May 2009 10:43:02 +0000 http://www.spacepolitics.com/2008/04/10/canadian-government-blocks-mda-atk-deal/#comment-237850 […] acquisition of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates’ (MDA) space unit by American company ATK, a deal that was eventually blocked by the Canadian government. Shortly after that a Canadian think tank, the Rideau Institute, issued a white paper on Canadian […]

]]> By: Space Politics » A blueprint for a revised Canadian space policy http://www.spacepolitics.com/2008/04/10/canadian-government-blocks-mda-atk-deal/#comment-51790 Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:35:41 +0000 http://www.spacepolitics.com/2008/04/10/canadian-government-blocks-mda-atk-deal/#comment-51790 […] space community in recent months, in light of the Canadian government’s decision to block the sale of the space unit of MDA to ATK, a US company. While that deal is now dead, the debate about the sale set off a debate about […]

]]> By: anonymous.space http://www.spacepolitics.com/2008/04/10/canadian-government-blocks-mda-atk-deal/#comment-44597 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:26:54 +0000 http://www.spacepolitics.com/2008/04/10/canadian-government-blocks-mda-atk-deal/#comment-44597 “This is a typical protectionist response that for short term political advantage will most likely have the opposite effect of ensuring that MDA don’t get the capital they need. Ergo, long term lost jobs.”

Read Mr. Foust’s post again. Canada’s response is only partially driven by job protectionism (if at all). Blocking sale of MDA is mostly about control of Radarsat remote sensing assets.

“Nobody want to bash the Canadian government for a change?”

A better question might be why did ATK want to pursue this purchase in the first place? Although related, robotics and satellites hardly play to ATK’s core business strengths in munitions. There would be a real risk of overdiversification and resulting mismanagement of MDA’s assets, with little to gain in terms of consolidation or synergy for ATK.

FWIW…

]]> By: Donald F. Robertson http://www.spacepolitics.com/2008/04/10/canadian-government-blocks-mda-atk-deal/#comment-44594 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:02:12 +0000 http://www.spacepolitics.com/2008/04/10/canadian-government-blocks-mda-atk-deal/#comment-44594 Protectionism aside, I disagree. There is little if any evidence that the “consolidation” of the last decade-plus has benefited the space industry. In fact, just the opposite. I think we’re better off with a large number of diverse companies competing for work with different approaches.

When there is only one contractor (think United Launch Alliance) there is only one price and that price does not need to be competative with anything.

MDA seems to have managed to come up with the capital they need to develop their specialized components in the past. I don’t see why they won’t in the future.

— Donald

]]> By: cIclops http://www.spacepolitics.com/2008/04/10/canadian-government-blocks-mda-atk-deal/#comment-44573 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 06:47:09 +0000 http://www.spacepolitics.com/2008/04/10/canadian-government-blocks-mda-atk-deal/#comment-44573 It’s interesting to see how uninterested all the usual suspects are in this piece of news. Nobody want to bash the Canadian government for a change?

Okay, then allow me. This is a typical protectionist response that for short term political advantage will most likely have the opposite effect of ensuring that MDA don’t get the capital they need. Ergo, long term lost jobs.

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