In this edition of the Canadian Spaceport Report we get an update on Maritime Launch Services (MLS), Reaction Dynamics, Astra, FireFly and more.
The Canadian Spaceport Report
Why are we publishing an ongoing Canadian Spaceport Report when Canada does not have a spaceport?
The answer is simple. The global space economy is growing, shows no sign of slowing down, and if Canada wants to be leader it will need a spaceport. That, and a proposed spaceport in Nova Scotia is almost at the stage where ground breaking will happen.
For more information on “the why,” Including how it’s in Canada’s strategic national interest, read our previous column on this topic.
MLS making progress towards ground breaking of spaceport
I recently spoke with MLS CEO Steve Matier on what, if any progress, they are making towards ground breaking and taking the project forward. Unfortunately he wasn’t prepared to go on record with the initiatives the company is currently pursing. He did say though that the pieces are falling into place for a fall ground breaking, likely in November, though he wasn’t prepared to say publicly what their preferred date was. Matier also hinted that at, or around the time of the ground breaking, the company could make a significant announcement surrounding their fundraising efforts.
At the moment the company is working towards satisfying the last of the environmental compliance set out by the province ahead of ground breaking.
The company has also hired three people since our last report including Yaroslav Pustovyi, Director of Safety, Harvey Doane, Vice President Strategic Development and a soon to be named Director of Communications.
Pustovyi formally joined the company in May and moved his family to Halifax in early July and had previously been a consultant as Vice President for Strategic Development. According to his LinkedIn profile, Doane officially joined the company in June. Prior to joining MLS, Doane was a Business Development Executive at Nova Scotia Business Inc. and was responsible for attracting businesses to work and invest in Nova Scotia.
The orbital launch vehicle update
At some point in the near term Canada is likely to have a spaceport. Once that happens who are the launch providers that will use the spaceport? Our research is based on public sources and sources not authorized to speak on the record.
Since the only spaceport that’s under development in Canada is the Nova Scotia spaceport by MLS, these rankings only include launch vehicles that might use this facility. And to note, the MLS spaceport as currently designed, is intended for small and medium launch vehicles. As well, the rankings will focus primarily on Canadian and US launch companies at this time as they are the most likely to use the spaceport.
Note: We’re hearing rumours of a couple more Canadian startups wanting to enter the launch space. If we have anything concrete worth publishing we’ll include it in the next report.
The launch vehicle rankings
10 (tie) – Rocket 1, Launcher Space
There’s no news from Launcher Space of note as the company focuses on its technology. Unless we hear something of note by the next report, they will be removed from this list.
10 (tie) – SpinLaunch (USA) (down 1)
SpinLaunch continues to be very quiet not revealing anything of themselves. They have reportedly raised US$80 million in funding. There has been some discussions between MLS and SpinLaunch but those appear to be on hold while the company focuses on its technology.
Earlier this year the company moved into a new facility near SpaceX in Hawthorne, California. The move from New York is to be closer to the supply chain. It’s also a lot further away from Nova Scotia.
8 – Phantom Daytona-E, Phantom Space (USA)
Since our last update when the company was first publicized, we’ve learned a lot more about this company including that its co-founder and investor is Canadian Michal Prywata of Toronto. In an interview with SpaceQ, Prywata said he hopes to launch from Canada one day.
7 – Electron, Rocket Lab (USA/New Zealand)
Rocket Lab is now a public and yesterday announced its first quarterly results with “revenue of US$29.5M, representing 237% Year-on-Year revenue growth, accompanied by an expansion in gross margins from negative 67% to a positive 13%.” Earlier this year the company unveiled a new medium-lift rocket, the Neutron which would be a perfect fit for the Nova Scotia spaceport.
6 – C6 Rocket, C6 Launch (Canada)
Earlier this year C6 unveiled their new rocket engine test stand and appear to making some progress. However, since then we’ve heard little.
While the company is not planning on launching from Canada at this time, circumstances could see that change.
5 – Terran 1, Relativity Space (USA)
The company has deep pockets thanks to an additional US$650M raised in June to go with US$500M it raised last November of 2020. While the company has no immediate plans to launch from Canada, they have signed Telesat as a customer and have some ties to Canada. It’s not inconceivable that they might one day consider launching from Canada.
4 – Astra Space (USA) (down 1)
Astra recently went public via a SPAC . The company also attempted its third launch which ended in failure after an engine was shutdown on liftoff which caused the rocket to move sideways before ascending and having the range terminate the launch. As before, we know there is interest on MLS’s part to see them use the Nova Scotia spaceport.
3 – Reaction Dynamics (Canada) (up 1)
Reaction Dynamics has increased the cadence of its engine tests to several times a month we’re told. The company is pretty mum on any updates, but we’re told they are moving towards a first suborbital test flight sooner than had previously thought. That test won’t happen this year, but it’s conceivable it could happen in 2022. Where is another matter. Could they launch from Nova Scotia for that first flight? It’s possible but I don’t think it likely. We’ll have more information hopefully in our next update. The company is making progress towards its goal of building Canada’s first orbital launch vehicle.
2 – Alpha and Beta, Firefly Aerospace (USA)
FireFly’s long delayed maiden test flight ended as most do, in failure. The company did say it was a test flight and the goal was to get whatever data it could from the launch. Developing and launching a new rocket takes time and failure is expected at the beginning. The company has the funding in place to move forward including support from NASA for lunar missions.
MLS had previously stated they are in talks with FireFly. Should those talks progress to a launch contract, they could become the first company to launch from Nova Scotia in late 2021. They would not be using the Cyclone 4M launch pad, but rather a new modular small launch pad, designed in-part for mobile launch systems.
1 – Cyclone 4M, Yuzhnoye Design Office (Ukraine)
Yuzhnoye still remains at the top of the rankings. The Ukraine government is stepping up its efforts to get this project moving forward.
Recently, Vladimir Taftai was confirmed as the Head of State Space Agency Ukraine. Taftai recently participated in the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs where he was very vocal about the plans the Ukraine would like to develop. We’ll have more on that in a future article. While in Colorado Springs he did have a private meeting with Canadian Space Agency president Lisa Campbell. Sources tell me, the topic of MLS and the Nova Scotia spaceport was discussed. It’s likely a high-level government contingent from the Ukraine would attend the ground breaking ceremony.
Here’s the short background on why Yuzhnoye is still number 1 in the rankings. Yuzhnoye funded the study that led to the Canso area location in Nova Scotia being selected for a spaceport. Steve Matier was the writer of that study. He decided after writing the study that he wanted the challenge of making the Nova Scotia spaceport a reality. So he convinced Yuzhnoye to be the customer, and he would, with his partners, build the spaceport under a new company, Maritime Launch Services.