Canadians, it seems, just aren't that into space. They're certainly not too wild about the International Space Station, which the nation happens to play a rather significant role in operating—Canada runs CanadaArm2 and Dextre, the "robotic handyman" that carries out repairs and maintenance there.When the Bank of Canada revealed that the nation's new five dollar bill would depict a scene set outside the ISS—including Dextre, the silhoutte of Earth, and a free-floating astronaut—the internet's space geeks cheered. But the citizens of the Great White North complained.Canadians who were shown the bills in focus groups said that they were too "cartoonish" and "out-of-step with modern Canada" according to CTV Canada.Even more striking was the response to the space station, according to documents from the focus groups:“Dextre is not recognized -- although once explained, it is accepted as an element of Canada’s contribution to space technology that should be kept,” the report said. “The image of the space station is not recognized. It is confused with a concept drawing."This is especially ironic because the bill itself was officially unveiled aboard the ISS, by Canada's most famous astronaut, Col. Chris Hadfield.So a bunch of Canadians apparently thought that the ISS that Col. Hadfield is currently aboard was made-up 70s space art, not a real thing that their own technology helps keep in motion. So what? Plenty of Americans don't know what the ISS looks like, either. And let's be honest. The ISS——does kinda looks like "concept drawings" of a more ambitious space station.
Kinda.
Advertisement
